


Manchester United

by cjgw



Category: Divergent Series - Veronica Roth
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-06
Updated: 2016-03-07
Packaged: 2018-04-13 05:11:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 39,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4509090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cjgw/pseuds/cjgw
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tobias Eaton is preparing for the World Cup and gets a visit from someone special.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm at it again with another one-shot story. It may stay a one-shot, it may not. I've learned not to close that door. This is yet another special request for B-Dauntless. My friends are bad influences. Obviously I don't own these characters, I'm just giving the chance for some much needed nookie. Major thanks to Milner and BK2U for beta services!

The restaurant was, unsurprisingly, absolutely packed. Tris should have figured it would be, since it was the English National Football team’s pre-World Cup party. The team would go into intense training starting the next day so this would be their final hurrah. Until they won, of course.

Tris pushed her way through the crowd, her eyes searching for one particular player. She and her friends hadn’t been here very long, but she’d hoped — really hoped — she’d see him right away. Keeping her eyes moving, she made her way over to the bar to try to at least snag a decent beer. The crowd grew heavier closer to the bar, and Tris found herself squeezing between bodies.

A girl in front of her, obviously drunk, lost her balance and fell into Tris. Unbalanced on her skinny boot heels, Tris felt herself start to fall backwards from the impact. Her tumble was halted when she landed with a thud against a hard body, one that could only belong to a man.

Tris started to turn around, embarrassed and apologetic. “Sorry about that...” She looked up and found herself gazing into a pair of sapphire blue eyes. 

He grinned down at her, “Not a problem.” His voice was deep, and he had to raise it to be heard over the music. “It’s a bloody mob in here.”

She quirked an eyebrow at his accent. “You’re American?”

“Half.” He said, his full lips twitching.

“Mmm, important distinction, I see.” She teased, her heart rate having picked up significantly. 

“It is for the British press.” He responded.

She gave him a look of feigned indignation. “What, Americans can’t be good at soccer?”

“Football.”

Tris rolled her eyes. “Football, then.” 

“And no, not when you make the mistake of calling it soccer.  I have a standard to uphold.”

“So, you’re Tobias Eaton, England’s new golden boy.”

“And you’re Tris Prior.”

“Oh, you remembered.” She pressed her hand to her heart. “I’m flattered.”

Tobias couldn’t hold back any longer.  He hauled her against him, lifting her off her feet in a colossal hug.  Tris laughed, wrapping her own arms around his neck, holding him tightly to her.  She could faintly smell his cologne, the same one she’d given him when they last saw each other in Paris.

“What are you doing here?” He asked, setting her on her feet. Instead of letting her answer, he pressed his lips to hers insistently. She swept her tongue into his mouth, pressing herself to him. He kissed her as though he’d been starved for her. She knew she’d been starving for him.

When he finally lifted his head so she could breathe, he said, “Sorry, you were saying?”

She laughed. “You didn’t think we’d let you go off to training for the World Cup without seeing us one last time, did you?”

“Us?”

She smiled. “Zeke and Shauna came with me. Uriah couldn’t get off work, though.”

Tobias looked around anxiously. “Really? You guys are the best!” He reluctantly let her go but laced his fingers through hers. “Let’s go find them.”

Tris grinned. “They’re probably by the beer.”

Tobias chuckled in response and began to lead her through the crowd. Tris could barely contain her excitement at being with him again. Living on separate continents these past couple of years while she finished college had been more challenging than she’d anticipated. But he’d had to go for this chance to play soccer professionally. Clearly, it had paid off. Playing in the World Cup would be one hell of a boost to his career. Tris knew he’d love to come home to play in the States, but for now he was doing quite well in England, so he’d be here for the foreseeable future. He hated the separation as much as she did, she knew, but it wouldn’t last much longer.  She was excited to tell him about the grant she’d received to start her post-graduate studies at Oxford. At least they’d be in the same place in less than a year. She covered their entwined hands with her other hand. He looked down at her, his features soft, his expression adoring.

They made their way to the bar, and sure enough, there stood Zeke and Shauna. Shauna whooped joyfully and threw herself at Tobias. He released Tris’s hand to hug Shauna tightly, then Zeke, too. “I can’t believe you guys are here!”

“All Tris’s idea!” Zeke yelled, tossing his arm around Tris’s shoulders. “She wanted company on her interview.”

Tobias looked at her. “You got the grant?” He asked excitedly.

She nodded. “I got it. I start at Oxford in August.” Tobias’s laugh was joyful. He grabbed her and swung her up in his arms, causing others around them to stare, some smiling at them indulgently.

He put her down and gave her a smacking kiss. “I’ll start looking for a new flat for us.”

Tris snuggled into his side while Shauna and Zeke rolled their eyes and made gagging noises. “You two are disgustingly cute.” She said. She reached behind her and grabbed two bottles of beer. She thrust the bottles at them. “Okay, cute over.  Drinking!”

As they stood around, laughing, drinking, and occasionally dancing, Tobias kept stealing glances at Tris. With her here, everything felt right; he felt complete. Once she moved to London, he’d have everything he’d ever wanted. He was living his dream, playing professional soccer. And with Tris here, he would have the woman he’d known and loved since he was a kid.

They’d been neighbors until his parents divorced when he was sixteen. He’d moved to England with his mother, and he and Tris fell out of touch. He’d come back to Chicago for college, and had run into Tris at Zeke’s birthday party. He had taken one look at his childhood friend and had fallen in love with her. Their two year age difference didn’t matter to either of them, even though it made her parents nervous at first. They’d been concerned he’d take advantage of her. But he’d stuck around, never interfering with her studies, and had even taken her to the prom; her parents had eventually come around. 

After that she followed him to Northwestern, where they stayed together until he graduated, then he had been immediately recruited to play in England. They’d tried dating other people for a while, but it just hadn’t felt right to either one of them. A year ago they were able to meet up in Paris where she was studying abroad. They gave up on staying apart and decided to just make the separation work.

Tobias kissed her on the top of her head and she looked up at him. Her gray eyes were soft and she put her hand on his stomach, caressing lightly. He leaned down and brushed his lips across hers. “I need to be alone with you.” He murmured against her lips. “Are you ready to go?”

She nodded. “The hotel is down the street.” She said. “I got my own room.”

His eyes darkened. “Let’s get out of here.”

They said a hasty goodbye to their friends, then began winding their way through the crowd of people, which had seemingly grown. They were nearing the door when a tall, bald man stepped in front of Tobias.

“Well, what have we here?” His voice was faintly amused.

“Tris, this is my team captain, Amar Siddiq. Amar, this is Tris.”

Amar reached out and shook Tris’s hand firmly. “Pleasure to finally meet you, Tris. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Tris smiled. “Same here.”

Amar turned his attention to Tobias, faint lines appearing between his brows. “Leaving, were you?” Tobias shifted his weight from foot to foot and Tris wondered why he looked so nervous. “You know that’s a bad idea, Eaton.”

“Aw, come on, Amar,” Tobias whined.

“You know the rules.”

Tris looked between them. “Somebody want to fill me in?” 

Tobias sighed. “There’s no sex allowed while we train for and compete in the World Cup.” Amar explained. “The guys think it distracts you. It’s a team superstition.”

Tris’s lips twitched. Over the years, she’d seen and heard a lot of weird sports superstitions with Tobias, but this was the funniest. She looked up at him. “Well I mean, I don’t want to _jinx_ you,” she said, finally catching on that Amar was messing with Tobias.

Tobias shot her an incredulous look. “Amar, come on. We haven’t seen each other in a couple of months.”

“She doesn’t want to jinx you.” Amar said, his face giving away none of the amusement he was actually feeling.

Tobias’s expression was pleading. “We live on different continents.” He emphasized. Amar’s expression was stone. “Amar, please.”

Amar looked back and forth between them. Tris was amused but Amar could see the desperation in both of them. They were so smitten with each other that there were practically little hearts flittering over their heads. He heaved a sigh. “I swear, if you aren’t at the top of your game tomorrow in practice, I’ll kick your arse myself.”

Tobias grinned. “Thanks, Amar.” Squeezing Tris’s hand, he grabbed their jackets from the front hallway and they headed out the door. Tris turned around and winked at Amar. Tobias had given her Amar’s number for emergencies, so when she decided to come surprise him, she had called Amar to find out where’d they’d be and to get her, Shauna and Zeke into the party. Amar sighed again, his lips tugging upwards in a reluctant smile as he waved at them. He hadn’t been kidding about the no sex thing, but they didn’t get serious about World Cup prep until the next day. He liked Tobias, and anyone could see that Tobias was head over heels for this girl. As he turned back to the party, he wondered if Tobias would get up the courage to give her the ring he’d bought her.

*****

As soon as the hotel room door closed, Tobias pushed Tris against the door and began to eagerly devour her. She laughed a little against his lips; the sheer excitement of being with him again bubbling up and adding to the desperation she felt for him. She grabbed the bottom of his t-shirt and yanked it up so she could run her hands along his sculpted abs. He groaned at the feeling of her hands on him and began to untie her wrap top. He unwound it and pushed it off her shoulders. He cupped her breasts in his hands, abrading her nipples with the lace. Tris gasped, her head thudding dully against the door. Grinning, Tobias pulled the lace down so he could suck her nipples into his mouth. He swirled his tongue around one nipple, then moved to the other, his hands continuing to massage her. Tris looked down at the top of his head and ran her fingers across his short brown hair. She’d missed him so, so much, and now she was reveling in the pleasure only he seemed to be able to give her. He unhooked her bra and tossed it aside, then pulled her jeans down, revealing the skimpy, lacy panties that matched the bra. They were cut high on her leg, and he was sure if he turned her around, he’d see they ended well above the bottom of her firm, toned ass. He looked up at her with a grin. She wasn’t usually one to wear fancy lingerie.

“Nice.” He said, running his fingers across the now damp lace.

She smiled coyly at him. “I wanted to impress you.”

He chuckled and pulled them down her legs, kneeling in front of her. “Like I care.” He mumbled, taking one leg in his hand and placing it over his shoulder. She clutched the doorknob in one hand, bracing herself. He glanced at her one last time before lowering his head to lick his way up her inner thigh. She gasped as his tongue buried itself inside her. As his tongue traced her flesh, Tris's hips began undulating against his face. Each of Tris’s moans began blending together until they were one continuous sound. She squeezed his shoulder, calling out his name as the wicked movements of his tongue quickly pushed her over the edge. 

Tobias stood in front of her and kissed her deeply. Tris reached for his jeans, popped open the button, and lowered the zipper. She reached inside, caressing his hard length through his boxers. It was Tobias’s turn to gasp as Tris squeezed him, using the cotton of his boxers to create a delicious friction. His hips began moving of their own accord, thrusting into her hand in synch with the movements of his tongue in her mouth.

Tobias pulled away abruptly, unable to take much more. He wrapped his arms around her waist and carried her over to the bed, dropping her across it sideways. She giggled as she landed, and responded by grabbing his jeans and boxers and yanking them down urgently. He kicked them off hastily as she pulled him down on top of her, wrapping her legs around his waist. Taking that as encouragement, Tobias plunged into her. They both gasped, the months of separation making the feeling of completeness so much more acute.

The fire was temporarily banked as they stared into each other’s eyes, tenderness and love overwhelming them. Tris reached up to caress the side of his face. “I love you.” She whispered.

“I love you, too. So much.” He responded, brushing his lips lightly across her palm. He looked at her again. “Are you ready?” He asked, a cocky grin beginning to curve his lips. “Because I’m about to rock your world.”

She gave a throaty laugh in response, challenge flashing in the gray depths of her eyes. “Promises, promises.”

Tobias smirked as he began moving, thrusting deep and hard, pounding into her. Tris took in a sharp breath and threw her head back, her hair hanging off the edge of the bed. Encouraged, Tobias bent his head and sucked the delicate skin of her neck into his mouth. He sucked hard, the combination of pleasure and pain making Tris gasp again. She moaned his name and Tobias hitched her leg up over his arm. The angle drove him further inside her.

Tris couldn’t believe how much he could make her feel. His hard, fast thrusts seemed to penetrate her deeper and deeper. He felt huge inside her, the sensation helping to fill the void she’d felt in her heart since they’d said goodbye two months before. The pleasure was so intense that she knew she couldn’t hold on much longer. She clutched at the muscles in his upper back and moaned his name again.

Tobias lifted his head to watch her face. Tris in the throes of ecstasy was his absolute favorite sight in the world. Her eyes were squeezed shut, her mouth open, gasping for breath. Her brow furrowed, then she froze, her fingernails digging into his shoulders. He groaned, her muscles squeezing him so tightly it was nearly painful. He swelled inside her, then let go. His own eyes screwed shut as white hot lightning shot down his spine, a long, continuous moan spilling from his lips as his body pulsed with pleasure.

He collapsed on top of her. He started to roll to the side but she wrapped her arms and legs around his body. “No, stay.” She whispered.

Tobias found the strength to lift his head and stared into her eyes. She smiled at him. “I can’t tell you how much I missed that.” He said, propping himself up on his forearms.

“Oh, I think I know.” She chuckled. 

He bent his head and kissed her deeply. He rested his forehead on hers, his breath slowly returning to normal. “I want you to move here, now.” He confessed.

She ran her hands soothingly up his back. “August is only seven months away.”

He raised his head and sighed in resignation. “We’ve waited this long, I guess, what’s a few months more.”

“Exactly.”

He pulled out of her and sat back on his heels, enjoying her body laid out in front of him, relaxed and sated. She was smiling lazily at him, her gray eyes glittering like diamonds in the lamplight. She was, without a doubt, the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. He took her hand and helped her to sit up. They got out of bed and pulled down the covers, crawling under them. He pulled her head against his chest and her arm draped across his waist while one of her legs nestled between his. He held her tightly, burying his face in her hair. Neither of them wanted to sleep just yet, wanting to prolong their time together. They pushed all thoughts of school interviews, soccer practices, their families and friends aside. Morning would come soon enough, but for now, this night was theirs. 


	2. Paris

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This chapter is all the fault of B-Dauntless so blame her, she asked for it. This chapter explores how Tris and Tobias actually got back together before the events in Manchester United. Major thanks to enj412 for support and ideas. And supreme thanks to the most awesomest beta, BK2U who manages to actually put up with me.

_*****_

_Blind dates suck._

Tris glanced at the text message on her phone and chuckled, even as she felt a stab of panic in her chest. She knew Tobias had been resisting Amar’s attempts to fix him up, but he’d finally relented and agreed to go out with someone. She looked up at the clock on the wall of her small living room. It was only 9 PM in Manchester, so apparently his date must not have gone very well. It might be petty of her, but she couldn’t help but be glad. Even though he was no longer hers, she hated the idea of him with another woman.

_Mean? Boring? Stupid?_ She texted back.

_Any and all of the above. Add in self-centered for the perfect storm of horrible._

_Aww, poor baby._

_How was dinner with Pierre? It had to have been better than mine._

Tris hesitated before replying. She’d been seeing Pierre pretty regularly since she’d arrived in Paris, but for her it was strictly casual. They had some common interests and he had been great about helping her with her French. She knew Pierre was hoping for more, even though she’d told him she wasn’t looking for a relationship. She was leery of relationships, not just because she would only be in France for the summer semester, but also because of the man on the other end of her text conversation.

She still loved him. The past year apart had only solidified that for her.

_It was fine._ She wrote.

She couldn’t think of anything else to say. She was cautious when discussing other guys, unsure of how much she should say or how much he really wanted to know. He’d insisted that they stay friends, texting and emailing her regularly and occasionally even scheduling a Skype call. They didn’t talk every day, but in the year since he’d left they hadn’t gone more than a week without communicating. It wasn’t always substantive; sometimes she’d wake to find a random text saying how much he missed deep dish pizza or Krispy Kreme donuts. Shaking her head, she added another text before he could.

_So, you’re still coming to visit next week, right?_

_Yeah. I’m looking for a hotel room near you. Know of anything?_

_Silly. Just stay here._

As soon as she typed it, she wondered if she’d made a mistake. Texting and emailing didn't really convey tone very well, so she wasn’t too sure how he truly felt about everything. She couldn't tell if he still thought of her as anything more than just a friend. He loved her, she knew he did, but she didn't know how muchor inwhat way. It had been a year since they'd last been together, and a lot could change in a year.

Tris had been ridiculously proud of Tobias when he was approached by a scout for the English National Football team during his senior year in college after he led Northwestern to the Big Ten championship. The scout had been impressed, both by Tobias’s abilities and the fact that he was a British-American mix with dual citizenship. The scout had set up a meeting with the coach of Manchester United, and Tobias had received a formal offer to play before he’d even graduated. Tris would still have two more years to go at Northwestern before she would earn her degree, but she had encouraged and supported Tobias's leaving to pursue his athletic career. The closer they got to his departure, however, the more nervous they’d both become about their impending separation. Tris was worried about the groupies that would inevitably throw themselves at him. It had happened throughout college, so Tris could only imagine how much worse it would be at the professional level.

Tris sighed, remembering the concern in his blue eyes when he confessed that he was afraid of what the distance would do to them. She’d agreed that they would try dating other people simply because she couldn't think of a way to maintain their relationship while being so far apart. But over this last year, she’d come to see how wrong they’d been. She’d tried going out with a couple of guys at Northwestern but none of them held her interest for very long; they simply weren’t Tobias. And everywhere she looked, she was haunted by memories of them together.

_Won’t Pierre mind?_ He texted back.

Not for the first time, Tris wished she could see his face, read his eyes as he asked her about Pierre. She thought, hoped really, he wasn’t as okay with it as it seemed in his innocuous texts. Pierre was the closest she’d come to an actual relationship in the last year. He was also an art history student, so they had a lot of classes together. He was cute, eyes the color of chocolate and brown hair that seemed to perpetually fall across his forehead. He had found out her favorite artist was Monet and had arranged to take her to the Musée d’Orsay on their first formal date. They’d spent the day wandering around the museum and talking about the art exhibits, and she’d let him kiss her in front of Monet’s _Nymphéas bleus_. It was nice, sweet and gentle, just like Pierre himself, but it didn’t make her heart race.

_I told you. It’s casual. No big deal._

Tris bit her lip as she waited for his reply. She hadn’t seen him since he’d moved to England and she really wanted to; she’d become convinced that this whole separation thing was a bad idea. No one measured up to him. No one challenged her like he did. No one laughed at her bad jokes like he did. No one looked deeply into her eyes like he did. No one kissed her like he did. Pierre had kissed her once and all it did was convince her she needed to see Tobias. It was the reason that she’d invited him to France on his first free weekend. She was determined to see if there was anything still between them.

_Well, if you’re sure._

Tris’s lips curved into a smile.

*****

Tobias slung his duffel bag over his shoulder as he exited the Customs gate at Charles de Gaulle airport. His eyes scanned the crowd, looking for that familiar honey blond hair. His stomach dropped when he didn’t spot her. Maybe she’d changed her mind. Maybe she forgot he was coming. Maybe she was busy with Pierre. He sighed, wondering if this trip was really a good idea. He could handle being just friends from 3,000 miles away, but he wasn’t sure if he could handle being near her without being able to touch her the way he wanted. He’d used his rookie year as an excuse to avoid dating anyone. Most of the women who crowded around the team were fawning groupies; most of them made him pretty uncomfortable. The truth was that he was not over Tris. When she’d invited him to Paris, he had decided he needed to see what was still between them.

He made his way through the crowd, heading towards the taxi stand. He was regretting not having booked a hotel room, but he was sure he could find something. She wasn’t far from Notre Dame; there should be plenty of hotels.

As he made his way through the crowd, he noticed a few people looking at him, recognition in their expressions. It wasn’t really surprising; he was getting pretty well known in the soccer world and the French were as rabid about soccer as the English. He’d nearly gotten to the door when he heard his name, and suddenly there she was. She came rushing in, her blond ponytail bouncing. They stopped and looked at each other for a beat, then she threw herself into his arms.

Tobias held Tris tightly, her feet lifted off the ground. He buried his face in her hair, breathing in the scent of strawberries, vanilla, and _her_. After several long moments, he set her back on her feet and pulled back.

“You look incredible,” he said, drinking in the sight of her. Her hair had grown so that it now fell halfway down her back. Her gray eyes were sparkling with happiness; Tobias hoped it was because he was here with her.

She gave him a once-over as well. “You look pretty amazing, too,” she said, meaning it. He was much more muscular than he’d been a year ago. His t-shirt clung tightly to his arms and across his broad shoulders and chest. Tris’s mouth began to water. She’d always been ridiculously attracted to him and now, looking as good as he did, Tris wondered exactly how she was going to keep her hands off him during his visit.

She reached down and grabbed his hand. “A cab is the fastest way to get into town.” They made their way to a taxi stand, and within minutes they were on their way into the heart of Paris.

“I figured we’d drop your stuff off at my place, then wander around. I’m staying near Notre Dame, so I can show you the Tuileries Garden. You haven’t been to Paris before, right?”

“Surprisingly, no. It’s crazy since I’m only a couple of hours away. The flight was pretty cheap, too.”

Tris hadn’t let go of Tobias’s hand, so she gave it a squeeze. “I’m glad I’ll be the one to show you.” She said, leaning into him.

*****

After dropping his bags off at her little one bedroom apartment, they immediately headed for the Louvre and the Tuileries Garden. They walked around the garden, Tris wishing they had time to go inside the Louvre. But the Tuileries Garden was in full, glorious bloom, and Tris delighted in showing him the Ferris wheel. They laughingly took a ride on it, Tobias clutching her hand as usual. Heights were not his thing, and he’d only ever gotten on a Ferris wheel with her. When they got off the ride, Tobias insisted on taking a picture of themselves in front of it. As she laughed at him, Tobias had to fight the urge to pull her into his arms and kiss her as he had when they were teenagers. He’d kissed her for the very first time after they’d ridden the Ferris wheel at Navy Pier.

They walked over the Pont Neuf to the Île de la Cité, and headed down towards Notre Dame. After touring the church right before it closed, Tris pulled Tobias down a little side street to a small café. She ordered a platter of various cheeses, dried sausage, a baguette and a bottle of Bordeaux rosé. They talked about everything: Tris’s classes, Tobias’s practices and games, their favorite parts of Manchester and Paris — everything but their romantic lives. Tobias reached out and played with her fingers, marveling at how they could fall right back into their old, familiar rhythm, as though they had never been apart.

It was dark by the time they left the café. Tris led him across the Pont au Double, stopping about halfway to look at Notre Dame. It was fully dark now, so the cathedral’s lights gave off a warm, gold, almost heavenly glow. Tris leaned on the iron railing. “This is one of my favorite sights so far,” she murmured.

Tobias stood behind her, admiring the atmosphere created by the canal lights that illuminate the river Seine, making the surface shine almost like glass. As they watched the river lazily flowing beneath them, it seemed the city around them quieted, giving them a bubble of privacy. The balmy June night was clear, so the amber-colored streetlights gave the entire area a soft, romantic glow.

“I’ve really come to understand why they call Paris the City of Love,” Tris said, letting her head fall back to rest against his shoulder. Tobias wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head. Tris covered his hands with hers, loving the way his arms enveloped her. Tobias buried his face in her hair. He was sure he hadn’t felt this content since the last time he’d held her in his arms.

“It’s beautiful here,” Tobias said quietly, savoring her small stature, her soft skin. He leaned forward and gently nuzzled her cheek with his.

Tris took a deep breath and decided to take a chance. “It makes you want to share it with someone special,” she said, holding his hands tightly, hoping he wouldn’t let her go.

“I’ve really missed you,” he said.

Tris turned slightly to look at him. “I’ve missed you, too,” she whispered back, angling her chin up, inviting him to kiss her. Tobias didn’t disappoint her; he leaned down and brushed his lips across hers. Tris turned to him completely, not content with just a slight brush of their lips. Tobias was here, now, and she was determined to see if they still needed each other as much as they once did. Tris slid her arms around his waist, standing on her tiptoes to kiss him more fully. Tobias pulled her tightly against him and kissed her deeply, his tongue sweeping into her mouth to duel with hers. Tris clutched his back, kissing him with every ounce of desire she felt for him.

They finally had to break apart for air and Tobias stared into her eyes. In the low light, they seemed darker, more mysterious, suffused with feminine power. Tobias felt himself drawn back to her, unable to stay away. He kissed her again, hungrily, desperate for one more touch, one more taste.

This time when they pulled apart, Tris whispered, “We need to get back to my apartment.”

Tobias drew circles with his fingers against the small of her back. “Are you sure?”

She leaned up to brush her lips against his again. “Positive.” She grabbed his hand and led him the rest of the way across the bridge.

The walk back to her apartment took about fifteen more minutes but they didn’t really rush. The walk allowed the anticipation to build. They both knew what would happen when they got there. If they were honest with themselves, it was something both had been anticipating, longing for, since they first touched in the airport. They talked idly, their fingers entwined, enjoying the sexual tension that seemed to spark between them.

Tris led him up the three flights of stairs and unlocked her door. She led him through the darkened apartment to her bedroom.

She flipped on the lamp and turned to face him. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and put it on the bedside table. He handed his to her and she put it next to hers. Her eyes on his, she lifted her shirt and pulled it over her head. He did the same, a small smile playing around his lips. She toed off her sneakers and socks then looked at him, challenging him with her eyes to mirror her movements, which he did. They continued to undress, Tris first, then Tobias, their smiles growing as he copied her. When she was naked, she put her hands on his abs, running her fingers slowly up his chest.

She marveled at how much he had changed, his golden skin stretched over strong muscles. He was much more defined than he’d been when he graduated. The year of playing soccer professionally had clearly left its mark on him. She ran her hands over his chest, down his abs, smiling as the muscles jumped beneath her caressing fingers. As his arms banded tightly around her, she moved to his sides, tracing the edges of the massive tattoo he’d gotten in college after his final confrontation with Marcus. She’d gone with him for every appointment, holding his hand, supporting his need to mark himself with the personality traits he yearned to embody, ones that seemed so lacking in his father. She traced the tattoo along his back, sliding her hands down to squeeze his firm ass. She glided along his hips, and with her eyes locked on his, took his erection firmly in her hand. Tobias sucked in a breath as she ran her hand up and down, squeezing lightly. His hips unconsciously began to move in time with her hand, then she abruptly let him go.

Tris pushed Tobias down on the bed, kneeling in front of him. She ran her hands along his thighs and met his eyes again. She kissed his lower abdomen, right above where he wanted her. Tobias stared at her, his eyes blazing with blue fire as she leaned forward and slowly took his cock in her mouth. His muscles tensed and he groaned. “Fuck, Tris!”

Tris ran her tongue over him, alternately flattening it against him and tickling him lightly with the tip. She closed her mouth fully around him again and bobbed her head up and down, worshipping him. When she peeked up through her lashes, she was pleased to see the intensity on his face. His hands were fisted tightly in the sheets, and he was breathing rapidly, his eyes glued to her. She kept it up until he gasped out, “Stop! Tris, please.” He wanted to prolong this and wasn’t sure how much more he could withstand.

Smirking, Tris crawled over him, licking and sucking a path from his abdomen up to his chest. She grabbed his hands and held them at his side as her tongue swirled around his nipples. Tobias half laughed, half moaned as Tris nibbled on his collarbone. With a low chuckle, Tris allowed her tongue to blaze a wet trail up his neck, across his chin, finally covering his mouth with hers.

Tobias pulled his hands from hers and tangled his fingers in her hair as they kissed. He trailed his hands down her back, grasped her hips in his hands and without warning, rolled them over so he was on top. Tris laughed breathlessly. “Not fair. You distracted me.”

He grinned at her. “My turn,” he said, trailing his lips across her cheek. He traced his tongue down her neck, mimicking her earlier movements. He captured one breast in his mouth, lifting it with his hand so he could suck her deeply. Tris tangled her fingers in his hair and hummed her approval. His tongue swirled around her, exactly the way she loved. Tobias retraced familiar territory with his mouth and then his hands. Licking, caressing, he concentrated on those spots he knew made her moan. Tris pushed her head back into the mattress, lifting her chest slightly. She’d missed this, missed how he always seemed to know how and where to touch her. His mouth trailed fire across her stomach, his tongue dipping teasingly into her belly button. She laughed a little and he looked up at her, his dark blue eyes twinkling. Tris hoped she wasn’t imagining it, but he was looking at her just as he used to, with a heady combination of love and lust.

“Tobias, please. I need you.”

He smirked, bent his head and buried his mouth in her slit. Tris clutched the sheets beneath her, lifting her hips to meet his questing tongue. She felt her head begin to swim as he grasped her hips, held her down and pressed his tongue deep inside her. Tris cried out, squeezing her eyes shut as pleasure engulfed her. Tobias's mouth worked her expertly until she couldn't wait one moment longer; she needed him inside her. Tris opened her eyes, grasped his upper arms and urged him on top of her.

Tobias draped himself across her, kissing her neck as he entered her. Tris ran her hands up and down his back, glorying in the feeling of him inside her once again. She couldn’t possibly tell him how good he felt, how much she’d missed him, so she just clutched his back and moaned his name.

Tobias had every intention of going slowly, but once he felt Tris's warm wetness surrounding him, he couldn’t stop himself. He pumped into her, her legs wrapped around his thighs, encouraging him to move faster. He sucked the soft skin of her neck into his mouth as he thrust inside her fiercely. Tris’s nails dug into his back; for Tobias, it was the sweetest pain he’d ever felt. He heard her gasping in his ear, egging him on even more.

“God, don’t stop,” she cried. “Please, baby, don’t stop.”

There was no way in hell he possibly could. Tobias’s heart was racing more than it did on the soccer field. Being with Tris was the most exciting thing he’d ever experienced, and over the past year, he’d seriously worried he’d never get the chance to feel that excitement again. But here he was, her hands at his back, her thighs squeezing his, her throaty moans echoing in his ears. He couldn’t hold back much longer, and Tobias was desperate to feel her clench tightly around him. He swiveled his hips, grinding against that special spot inside her until she let out a breathy cry, every muscle frozen in ecstasy. Tobias felt his groin tighten as he reached the point of no return, electricity sparking throughout his body. Thrusting himself deep inside her, he groaned her name as he climaxed in a series of hard, rapid-fire muscle contractions. It felt like an eternity passed before he collapsed on top of her, his body shaking with the aftershocks of his intense orgasm. He could barely move, but he rolled to the side, not wanting to crush her.

Tris immediately moved so that her head was on his chest, draping her arm and leg over him as though to anchor him to the bed and to her. She loved hearing his heart race beneath her ear, matching the galloping rhythm of her own. She felt his arm curve around her shoulders and she took a deep breath, trying to slow its pace.

“I was scared I’d never feel like this again,” he said.

Tris smiled and kissed his chest. “So was I.” She snuggled into him and allowed sleep to pull her under.

*****

The chime signaling an incoming message pulled Tobias from his luxurious half-slumber. He reached over and grabbed the blinking cell phone from the bedside table. He swiped his thumb across the screen and tapped the message icon. A picture of a white cathedral appeared, luminous in the soft sunlight. He frowned at the message. “Sacré-Cœur in the morning doesn’t glow as much as you do. Call me when your friend leaves.” He glanced at the top of the message. Pierre. Who the hell was Pierre? He didn’t know any Pierre. Then it hit him. This was Tris’s phone. And Pierre was her….boyfriend? He closed the message and stared at the phone. The phone in his hand was dark blue, not black. The background picture was similar to his, the Ferris wheel at Navy Pier, but from a different angle. Shit, he thought.

He glanced over at Tris who was still sleeping peacefully beside him. It seemed this thing with Pierre was more serious than she’d let him believe. How would she react to him reading the text? He carefully slid out of bed. He’d left his bag in the living room so he went there and pulled out a pair of pajama pants. Once he slid them on, he felt better; he couldn’t think seriously about Tris when he was naked. She tended to short-circuit his brain.

Tobias searched the cabinets in Tris’s kitchen until he found a glass and filled it with water from the tap. He drank it down, hoping it would calm his now churning stomach. Did Tris just cheat with him? The idea didn’t sit well with him. Not to mention he’d just realized they didn’t use protection. When they were together, they’d stopped using condoms because Tris was on the Pill, so it honestly hadn’t even crossed his mind. It wasn’t like he’d actually slept with anyone else since her, but now he wasn’t so sure about her. Then again, she and this Pierre couldn’t be that serious since she was here with him, but that text, at such an early hour, had him doubting everything.

He sighed. He never should have broken up with her. It had seemed like the right decision at the time, though. He’d decided to move back to England, and he'd been worried that she’d end up regretting it if she tried to maintain a long distance relationship with him. She deserved to be happy; Tobias had been deathly afraid that the separation would destroy their relationship, and he couldn't live with that. He'd figured they could just go back to being the friends they had been most of their lives, but now it was obvious how wrong he'd been.

Tobias wandered back out to the living room and stared out the window. He’d been deluding himself all these months. Tris was the woman for him. A year apart had done nothing to dim his feelings for her. Making love with her only confirmed what he already knew: he was hopelessly in love with Tris, but now she was seemingly involved with someone else.

“There you are.” Tris’s arms slid around his waist. “I was hoping you’d still be in bed with me.” She whispered huskily. She rubbed her cheek on his back, then frowned. He was tense. “What’s wrong?”

He shrugged. “Nothing.”

Tris let him go and tugged on his arm so he would turn and face her. There were faint lines between his brows, which usually meant that something was bothering him and he was turning it over in his head.

“I know that face,” she challenged. “Something’s wrong.” She crossed her arms under her breasts and matched his frown.

He sighed. “Was this a mistake?” he asked, staring down at his feet.

Tris felt her heart constrict painfully. She’d awakened so happy, knowing he was there with her. “Do you think it was a mistake?” she asked shakily.

He shuffled his feet a little, debating whether to tell her the truth. But then he looked at her, at the worry in those blue-gray eyes, and he just couldn’t lie to her. “I wanted this more than anything,” he confessed.

Tris let out a relieved breath. “Then what’s the problem?”

Tobias took her hand and led her to the couch. She’d pulled on a sleep shirt and Tobias tried to ignore the creamy expanse of skin the shirt exposed as it rode up her thigh. They sat facing each other, and Tobias found he couldn’t meet her eyes.

“I accidentally read a text on your phone,” he said quietly.

Tris frowned, unsure why that would be a problem for him. “Okay.”

“It was from Pierre.”

Tris blew out a breath. “Oh.” She regarded his bowed head and asked, “What did it say?”

He shrugged. “Something about how some church wasn’t as beautiful as you.” His voice was heavy with derision.

Tris stifled a laugh. “Are you jealous?”

Tobias started to protest, but he could see she already knew the answer. He wanted to deny it, wanted to be cool and suave about the whole thing, but he just couldn’t. “Yeah.”

She reached out and squeezed his hand. “You don't need to be.”

“But his message…”

Tris shrugged. “He wants more, but I told him I just want to be friends.” She took a breath. “I haven’t been with him or anyone else.” She played with his fingers slightly then looked up into his eyes. “I don’t want anyone but you. I want us to be together.”

“Tris, we still live 3,000 miles apart; you're only in Paris for the summer.” His voice was faint but frustrated. As much as he wanted to be back with her, he just couldn't see how they could make it work. “I just made starter for one of the most famous soccer teams in the word. I can’t leave England.”

“Who’s asking you to?” she asked sharply.

“We’ve been through this. It isn’t fair for me to ask you to wait for me. Or for me to ask you to give up everything to come to England.”

She squeezed his hand again, forcing him to look at her. “You aren’t asking. The only question is: do you want us to be together?”

He started to say no, to be selfless and let her go, but he looked at her, seeing her beautiful blond hair falling softly around her shoulders, her blue-gray eyes fierce; she radiated calm. She was sure about her feelings, he could be no less. “Yeah, I do.”

She smiled. “Then that’s it.” She scooted closer to him. “I love you. I have since I was sixteen. A little bit of distance isn’t going to change that.”

He leaned forward and kissed her lightly. “I love you. I have since I was eighteen.” He started to pull back, but Tris laced her fingers behind his neck and pulled him back to her. She leaned back and he stretched on top of her.

Their tongues entwined and Tobias’s hands slid down her sides to her hips. They slid under the sleep shirt and he groaned. “You aren’t wearing panties,” he growled.

She chuckled against his lips. “I didn’t think there was a reason to.” She lifted her hips slightly, grinding against his already impressive erection.

Her hands on top of his, she helped him slide them up her body, taking the shirt along with them. She sat up, allowing him to pull it over her head. She reached for his pajama pants, tugging them down. He kicked them off and she urged him into a sitting position, throwing one leg over his, straddling him. She kissed him as she lowered herself onto his rigid cock. Tris sighed, loving the feeling of fullness he gave her.

Tobias’s head thudded against the back of the couch, giving Tris the opportunity to run her lips up his neck to his ear. “I love you.” She murmured as she grasped his shoulders and began to move up and down.

Tobias grasped her hips firmly, rising to meet her. He kissed her, then pressed his forehead to hers. “I love you, too, Tris. I always will.”

They moved together slowly, savoring each other’s familiar movements. The night before had been all about speed and passion, but this time was much slower, more sensual. Tobias ran his hands up and down her back as she rode him. He knew it would be difficult to work out the distance issues, but he was surer than ever that she was what he wanted, what he needed. He found himself getting close and lifted his hips more forcefully, causing her to inhale sharply, her lips a hairsbreadth from his. She squeezed his shoulders and he felt her tighten around him. He tangled a hand in her hair, pulling her mouth to his. He kissed her deeply as they let themselves go.

Tris draped herself over him, hugging him tightly. After she caught her breath, she sat back and smiled brightly. She had a hard time remembering the last time she’d felt this hopeful, this energized. She leaned forward and gave him an enthusiastic kiss on the lips. “Okay, time for another of my favorite things,” she said, standing up and stretching.

Tobias smiled dopily, staring at her naked body. “A shower together?”

She laughed as she picked up her discarded sleep shirt. “That can be arranged. But I was thinking more like pain au chocolat.” She tossed him his pants.

 “Chocolate croissants? I can get with that. Coffee, too, I hope?”

She laughed and headed for the bathroom. “Breakfast isn’t breakfast without coffee!” She called. Tobias grabbed his bag and dropped it next to the bed. He heard the shower start and grinned. Tris was perfect for him. There were many details left for them to work out, but for the first time in a year, Tobias didn’t feel like the distance was such an insurmountable issue. He opened the shower door, stepping into the tiny space, and pulled her into his arms.

"Who needs breakfast?" he murmured.


	3. Chicago

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This takes place after the first chapter of Manchester United. Tobias comes to Chicago to help Tris pack for England but a misunderstanding may impact their future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for BK2U for beta services. These are a mess before she gets her hands on them! Also, thanks to Team Fluff for emotional support – this would not have been written without you!

Tobias snuck a glance at his watch. When he looked up, the representative from his mother’s company looked at him balefully. He tried to look guilty, but he really didn’t care. He had a 10 PM flight out of New York to Chicago and had every intention of being on it.  

He clapped politely as the speaker, some actress he only vaguely recognized, finished talking about her latest trip to a Malaysian refugee camp. It wasn’t that he wasn’t interested, the United Nations Children’s Fund was one of his favorite charities, but right now he’d wished he told his mother that he couldn’t make it. He hadn’t seen Tris since she’d surprised him in Manchester right before the World Cup. Knowing that they were just a few weeks away from her permanent move to England was making it even harder to be away from her.

Molly, the representative from his mother’s company, leaned towards him and hissed, “You’re here representing Kattalakis-Johnson Shipping. Try to behave with some decorum!”

Tobias took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “The only reason I’m here,” he muttered back, low enough that only she could hear, “is because Evelyn guilt-tripped me into this and she’s hoping my presence will give her company a boost. I’m here, so get off my fucking back.”

Molly shot him another dirty look and turned back to the older man sitting next to her.

Tobias stifled a groan and once again wondered how a simple good deed had gone so terribly wrong. After they’d won the World Cup, Tobias had been approached by UNICEF about doing a couple of publicity shots for them. He was a large and regular donor and the World Cup had only added to his cachet. He’d agreed because it was supposed to be a quick stop in New York on his way to Chicago, and it was for a good cause. He’d made the mistake of using it as an excuse to get out of joining his mother and husband number two in Greece. Evelyn had immediately jumped on the idea of him attending the fundraiser with Molly in tow. She thought it would be a boon to Kattalakis-Johnson Shipping if Tobias were there to represent the family business.

His relationship with his mother was complicated at best. Marcus Eaton had been physically abusive to both Evelyn and him for as long as Tobias could remember. Evelyn had finally gotten the courage to leave after an altercation with Marcus when Tobias was sixteen. Marcus had grabbed his son roughly, and Tobias had gotten angry and pushed Marcus’s hand off him. Marcus proceeded to punch him, giving him a black eye. Evelyn had tried to intervene, then he’d gone after her. It was the loudest fight Tobias could remember. Someone had even called the police. No one had gone to jail, but it scared Evelyn out of her inaction. She’d later confessed to Tobias her fear that one day Tobias would reach his breaking point and hurt Marcus badly. She would not have been able to forgive herself if Tobias ended up in juvenile court. So, she’d taken him back home to her family in England.

Tobias didn’t regret his parents’ divorce. If anything, it had come as a great relief. What he didn’t realize was that his mother was, in many ways, just as manipulative as his father. She wasn’t physically abusive, of course, but she had no qualms whatsoever about pushing Tobias’s emotional buttons. One of the biggest reasons he’d gone back to the United States to go to college had been to get away from her.

He felt a vibration in his pocket and reached for his cell phone. He pulled it out, keeping it under the table so it wouldn’t be terribly obvious. Next to him, Molly let out a scandalized breath. He didn’t even look up.

He smiled when he saw the text was from Tris. He opened the message to see a picture of a bed, neatly turned down, plump pillows on pristine white sheets. The message read: _Got us all checked in at the Drake._

He started to reply when the phone vibrated with another incoming text. He opened it to see a picture of a pile of clothes on the floor next to the bed. _I’m making myself comfortable._

Tobias shook his head. _You’re a fucking tease,_ he typed back. He looked around the room, finally noticing that the orchestra had begun playing and people were now milling around, photographers circling the room like vultures. Molly had finally left, moving around the room, presumably schmoozing with the other philanthropists. He glanced at his watch. He only needed to stay another 45 minutes or so. His bags were already in the hired car and he prayed there wouldn’t be much traffic in the airport so late on a Tuesday. Even if he had to charter a plane himself, he was getting to Chicago.

His phone vibrated again. He opened the message and chuckled. _How’s this for teasing?_ He scrolled down to see a bare leg partially covered by white sheets, bent at the knee. Tobias swallowed hard. He could see the smooth expanse of her inner thigh, her knee in the air. Her foot must’ve been resting flat on the bed as he could just glimpse the graceful curve of her calf. Her skin looked even creamier against the snow white sheet. Tobias had traced a path up that inner thigh many times and he knew exactly how soft her skin was there. He remembered tracing his lips from her knee, up her thigh, the heady scent of her skin making his head swim as he buried his mouth…

“Tobias Eaton?”

Tobias quickly tapped his phone, locking it and looked up at a dark haired woman. He was momentarily struck dumb. He recognized her, of course, but hadn’t realized that she was just as beautiful in person as she was on the glossy magazine page. Her long, wavy, dark hair spilled around her shoulders. She was practically poured into a turquoise dress with a halter top that barely covered her large breasts. She was a walking wet dream, amazingly curvy with long legs. She dropped gracefully onto the chair next to him and held out her hand.

“I’m Nita Carias,” she said, her shiny red lips curving into a smile.

Tobias shook her hand. “Yeah, I know. Nice to meet you.”

The smile never left her face. “I’m sorry I missed you earlier at the photo shoot.” Her accent flowed over the words, making them sound soft and exotic. “I’ve been wanting to meet you. Your donations have been extremely generous.”

Tobias shifted, slipping his phone into his pocket. “I, uh, heard you were named a UNICEF Ambassador. Congratulations.”

She shrugged and Tobias noticed her caramel-colored skin seemed to glow with something glittery. “I enjoy children.”

Nita was the daughter of the deputy Finance Minister of Brazil. She’d recently exploded onto the international media scene as a model and a world-class party girl. That didn’t stop her from also being a very generous philanthropist. She was a series of contradictions; she clearly enjoyed the finer things in life, but also seemed just as comfortable in khaki pants, feeding a starving child in Somalia. She was also amazingly, unrealistically gorgeous.

A waiter walked by with a tray of champagne. Nita gestured and the waiter handed her a flute. She sipped then turned her attention back to Tobias. “And congratulations to you on winning the World Cup. I was in the stands. I saw you kick that game-winning goal.”

Tobias shrugged. “Pure luck,” he said, shaking his head at the memory. “Heikle got distracted for a moment and I managed to get past him.”

She flashed another brilliantly white smile. “You’re being modest. You are very good. You have excellent legs.” She trailed a red fingernail along the rim of her champagne flute.

Tobias laughed, a little nervously, realizing she was flirting with him. “Uh, thanks, I guess.”

She leaned forward, her dark curls falling over her shoulder to tease the tops of her breasts. “I’ve been watching you play for a while,” she said. “I enjoy football. I especially enjoy watching you.”

Tobias swallowed and struggled to come up with a reply. Before he could, a photographer came by. “Can you guys get together for a picture?”

Nita smiled. “Of course.” She leaned close to Tobias, snuggling up to his arm, her hand resting on his forearm. Tobias managed a slight smile as the camera flashed. The photographer hurried off, a huge smile on his face. Nita turned to Tobias. “I can’t wait to see how that turns out.” She trailed her fingers down his arm. “I have a feeling we look good together.”

Tobias frowned. She had to know about Tris. He’d talked about her in his post-game interview and the press had gone nuts for it. The snippet of his interview calling her his greatest good luck charm had been played repeatedly for a week after the World Cup.

He was saved from replying by an older couple distracting Nita, speaking with her in rapid Portuguese. He glanced at his watch and was relieved to see it was time for him to leave. He stood gracefully. “I hate to interrupt but I must be going. Nita, it was lovely meeting you.”

She held out her hand for him to shake, looking disappointed. “Oh, must you go?”

He nodded. “I’m meeting my girlfriend tonight in Chicago,” he said firmly, his dark blue eyes flashing with meaning.

Nita’s almond-shaped brown eyes narrowed slightly at the term girlfriend. Tobias realized that she did indeed know about Tris. “Well, have a good flight.”

He smiled tightly. “Thanks.” He made his way across the ballroom, smiling slightly at people who called his name, but he continued on, determined to get out. He was nearly to the door when Molly caught up with him.

“You’re leaving already?” She asked, her voice shrill.

He nodded. “I told you I had a 10 PM flight.” He really wasn’t in the mood to deal with her. Nita’s flirty act had bothered him. He’d never been super-comfortable with aggressive women, and now that he’d publicly committed himself to Tris, he had even less tolerance.

Molly’s face was creased in annoyance. Tobias figured that must be her default expression because it seemed natural on her. “You told your mother you’d represent the company.”

Tobias clenched his jaw. He really couldn’t lose his temper in a room full of people, especially since it was a fundraiser for a children’s charity, so he took a deep breath. “And I showed up. I took pictures. I smiled at people. Now I’m done.” He turned and strode out into the hallway. Luckily, he quickly found his driver and soon was off, heading towards LaGuardia airport.

In the back of the limo, Tobias sighed and allowed himself to relax. He reached up, popping the top couple of buttons on his shirt, loosened the black tie and rolled his head from side to side. He vowed that he’d never let his mother talk him into something like this again. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his cell phone. He pulled up Tris’s last message. The image of her bare leg on the bed made him smile. He hit reply and typed swiftly. _I’m leaving the fundraiser. You’d better still be naked when I get there._

It was only moments before he got a reply. _You’ll just have to wait and see, won’t you?_ She’d added a winking smiley face. Tobias chuckled. He was immensely grateful that he’d only packed a small carry-on so he could check in online. All he had to do was get through security.

Luck was on his side, he thought, as they got to LaGuardia much sooner than he’d expected. He tipped the driver, and made his way quickly to the security line. He’d signed up for the TSA’s pre-check frequent flyer program; he was in the States at least three or four times a year, so for him, it was worth the cost. The line was much smaller so he made it through in just a few minutes. He strode purposefully to the gate and stopped. And stared.

The screen behind the counter was flashing the one word that made Tobias’s heart sink: delayed.

Trying not to snap, he approached the counter. “Hi, about how long is the delay?”

The flight attendant glanced up and did a double-take. “Ohmygod, you’re Tobias Eaton!” He said.

Tobias forced himself to smile. He usually wasn’t a fan of being recognized but if it could help him get some answers, he was all for it. “Yeah.”

“Wow. Okay, wow.” The flight attendant typed on the screen in front of him. “Okay, only about an hour. They have to replace a part in the cockpit. It’s not a big deal, just takes a minute.”

“It won’t get canceled, will it?”

The attendant shook his head. “No, it’s a really minor repair.”

Tobias tried not to groan. “Okay, thanks.” He pulled his suitcase over to a relatively empty part of the waiting room. He pulled out his phone and dialed swiftly.

Tris answered immediately. “Are you about to board?”

“No,” he responded ruefully. “They had to replace some part in the plane. It’ll be about an hour.”

Tris sighed, disappointed. “Okay. That puts you here about, what, 1 AM?”

“Probably.” He slouched in the chair. “I’m sorry, baby.”

“Why are you apologizing? It isn’t your fault.”

“I just wish I’d told my mom no.”

He heard a rustling and tried to banish the image of Tris in bed, alone, naked. “So how was the fundraiser?”

“Boring as fuck. The food was okay, but you know how I hate the smile and pose thing.”

“It’s for a good cause,” she reminded him. “And you should draw in a lot of publicity for UNICEF, Mr. Winning Goal in the World Cup,” she teased.

He chuckled. “I’d rather be there.” His voice dropped. “I can’t get that damn picture you sent out of my mind.”

Her laugh was rich. “That was my intent,” she said, her voice a low purr. “Hang on, there’s room service.”

“You go. I’ll text you when we board.”

“Okay, have a good flight.”

“I will. I love you.”

“Love you, too.” They hung up, Tobias turning off the phone and groaning. He wished, really wished, he could just get the hell out of New York.

Tobias wiled away the time trying to distract himself with books, a game on his tablet, anything. But time seemed to crawl. After what felt like an eternity, they announced his plane was boarding. He was among the first to head down the jetway and found his seat quickly. He settled down in the plush seat and was suddenly overwhelmed with exhaustion. Business class may have been an indulgence but the extra room was a necessity for his long legs. The adrenaline of the last couple of days was beginning to wear off. He pulled out his phone and winced at the time. It was almost 11 PM in Chicago. He knew Tris had been up since early that morning so he didn’t want to wake her if she’d fallen asleep. _Boarding. Love you._ He texted and turned off the phone. As soon as the plane door closed, Tobias was asleep.

****

Tobias practically stumbled out of the cab in front of the Drake Hotel. He was exhausted. It was after 1 AM. He’d slept for most of the flight, and between that and the whirlwind in New York, he was ready to pass out. He’d only been in the States a couple of days and it was clear that jet lag was catching up with him. He’d be in Chicago for a couple more days, helping Tris get ready for the move, then would head back to England. They wanted to get settled in before the new season and her classes started in August.

He blearily made his way to the front desk. The woman looked up and smiled at him sympathetically. “Good evening, Mr. Eaton,” she said, her voice soothing.

He smiled. “Hi. You know who I am.”

She chuckled lightly. “Ms. Prior let us know you’d be checking in really late. I’ve got everything ready.” She handed him a piece of paper. “I just need your signature right there.” She handed him a pen and Tobias had to shake his head so he could see clearly. He signed and pushed the paper back. The desk attendant handed him a plastic card. “Okay, here you are. The elevators are behind you. You’re in room 426. I’ve taken the liberty of putting a Do Not Disturb on your room.”

Tobias gave her a tired smile. “Bless you.”

She smiled. “My pleasure. Sleep well, Mr. Eaton.”

Tobias made his way to the elevators. He was so tired, he barely registered the small space and leaned his head back against the wall. It seemed like only a second passed before the doors were opening. He stumbled down the hallway to the room; it took three tries before he could get the card to register in the reader. He closed the door quietly behind him, not wanting to wake Tris, even though he knew she could sleep through a nuclear war.

She’d left the light on for him, but she was curled up facing the door, deeply asleep. He smiled softly. She looked beautiful, her honey-blonde hair spread out on the pillow, her features relaxed in sleep. The sheet was molded to her body, one shoulder peeking out. He could tell by the outline of her body that she was naked. He wished, desperately, that he could wake her, but at this point, he was so tired he knew he would not be up for it. He tiptoed across the room, quietly pulling his shaving kit out of the suitcase. He closed the door to the bathroom so he wouldn’t wake her while he brushed his teeth.

He made his way to his side of the bed. He pulled off his clothes, leaving them in a pile on the floor, just as she had in her picture. There was no sign of them so she must’ve cleaned them up after she sent him the picture. He flipped off the lamp and the room was plunged into a soothing darkness. Tobias curved his naked body around hers, his arm under her breasts. He took a deep breath, breathing in the scent that was uniquely her. He felt the stress of the day melt away as she snuggled back against him in her sleep. He kissed the back of her head and, calmed by the warmth of her body, fell deeply asleep.

*****

Tris woke to a warm body pressed up against her back, a large hand cupping her breast. Without opening her eyes, she smiled. Those large hands with their quick and nimble fingers rolled her nipple, pinching lightly. Her hair was pushed to the side and Tobias dropped gossamer-light kisses along her neck and shoulder. Tris tried to hold back her reaction but she felt Tobias chuckle behind her. His soft lips brushed across her ear. “I bet I can wake you,” he whispered.

She smiled and didn’t say anything. She did her best to stay still.

Tobias kissed the back of her neck, his tongue darting out to lick a path down her neck. As he nibbled on her shoulder, his hand ran down her side, pushing down the sheet. He retraced the path up her side to again play with her breasts.

Not to be outdone, Tris pushed her hips back into his, grinding against him. She chuckled when she felt him hard against her.

“See?” He whispered in her ear as his hand slid down her flat stomach and tangled between her legs. “I told you I could wake you.”

Her laugh turned into a moan and she parted her legs wider for him. She reached behind her to run her fingers through his hair and turned her head for a kiss. Her lips found his and she slipped her tongue into his mouth just as he slipped his fingers into her. She kissed him as deeply as she could in her position, only breaking it off to gasp when his nimble fingers slid up to rub in tight circles around her sensitive bundle of nerves.

“Tobias,” she moaned, “I need you.”

He kissed her. “Anything you want,” he murmured. His wet fingers traced up her leg, pushing her thigh gently in front of her. He lined himself up with her entrance and slowly thrust inside her. They gasped together, each loving the feeling of completeness when they were connected. Tobias nuzzled the back of her neck with his nose. “I love you.”

“I missed you,” she whispered.

Tobias kissed the back of her neck as he began a slow withdrawal. Tris gasped as he thrust back inside sharply. She moaned with each hard thrust back in and slow slide out, and buried her face in the pillow. Tobias rocked in slow, measured movements, drawing it out, savoring the clutch of her body. He moved his hand up to cover her breast, kneading gently. She couldn’t touch him in this position; she could only tilt her hips back and grind against him, hoping to encourage him to move faster.

Tobias’s lips made their way from her shoulder back up to her ear. “I love how you feel,” he growled in her ear, his voice made husky with passion. “I can’t wait to do this every single night.” He punctuated each final word with a sharp thrust of his hips. Tris couldn’t take it anymore. She needed release. She covered his hand with hers and urged it down her body to between her legs. “More,” she moaned. Tobias nibbled on the back of her neck as he moved inside her, his fingers dancing over her in rhythm with his thrusts. Tris let out a sharp gasp, the pleasure building swiftly to its peak.

“That’s it, baby,” he whispered, “Come for me.”

Tris pushed back against him, moving her hips to meet his. Tobias sped up his movements, moving faster inside her. He was unable to hold back his own groans of pleasure, knowing Tris was so close to the peak. With every movement, he felt her muscles clenching tighter and tighter around him. She bit down on the pillow as she exploded, waves washing over her as her body spasmed around him. He kept moving through her orgasm, prolonging it until Tris thought she was going to scream. She leaned back against him, reaching back to run her hand along as much of his flank as she could reach. He leaned forward and captured her lips with his, his tongue wrestling with hers.

Tris was determined to get him to lose control. She threw her leg back over his, the hair on his legs tickling the inside of her thigh. She reached down and fondled him each time he pushed inside her. Tobias let out a long moan, his hand clutching her hip. He shuddered against her back, his hips moving erratically. Tris moved her leg back in front of her as Tobias gently slipped out of her. He wrapped his arm around her waist and buried his face against the back of her neck, panting.

Tris loved the way he enveloped her, holding her tightly to him as if she were the most precious thing in the world to him. She let him cuddle her for a moment before she turned over and wrapped her arms around his neck. She brushed his lips with hers and kissed him slowly, languidly. “Welcome home,” she murmured against his lips.

He chuckled. “Mmm, do we have to get up?”

She nodded, propping her chin up on his chest. “Yup. We have to stop by the house that Christina and I rented and get the last of my stuff before we go to my parents’. They’re expecting us for dinner.” She gave him a pointed look. “Plus, I want to address the boxes I’m sending to Manchester. If I ever find out where to send them.”

Tobias grinned. “Speaking of which...” He got out of bed and pulled a small stack of papers out of his suitcase. He handed them to her as he sat on the edge of the bed. Tris sat up, pulling the sheet over her breasts. She frowned at him as she glanced at them.

She stared down at the image of a brick semi-detached house. It was an end unit with a Victorian bay window in front. Tris flipped through the papers, looking at the pictures of the rooms, the enclosed patio. There were three bedrooms, one bath. Tris looked back up at him. “This is a house.”

Tobias nodded. “Yep. Our house.”

Tris’s eyes rounded. “You bought us a house?”

“Yeah.” He shifted a little, nervous. “It’s a good investment. It’s in a good place, nice neighborhood.” He looked at her. “Are you mad?”

She shook her head as if to clear it. “No, no, it’s wonderful!” She launched herself at him, hugging him tightly. “It’s so adorable.”

He hugged her and laughed in relief. “I hoped you’d like it.”

Tris pulled back and looked at the papers again. “I love it.” She flipped through. “There’s a cellar?”

He nodded. “Yeah, but it’s really just storage. No plumbing down there. The washer/dryer combo is in the kitchen.”

She laughed a little at the living room. “This wallpaper is hideous.”

“I’m having all the rooms stripped and primed. Then you can do whatever you want with it.”

She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “I can’t believe you bought us a house.”

He grinned. “I’m just a great guy like that,” he teased.

 

They showered separately at Tris’s insistence — she didn’t think they’d ever get out if they were in there together — and then had a leisurely breakfast at the hotel’s restaurant. As they were leaving, Tris noticed the doorway to the French ballroom was open. Tugging on Tobias’s hand, she stopped to peek inside.

The grand ballroom was already set up for an event. Crystal chandeliers threw sparkles of light against the rich fabric wallpaper in jewel tones. The carved pillars in a subtle off-white made those colors glow that much more brightly. The tables were set with white hydrangeas in clear glass vases, surrounded by a full place setting of white china with a thin gold border and cut crystal champagne flutes. “Oh, wow, Tobias, isn’t this beautiful?” Tris asked. Tobias smiled, hoping this was the opening he needed.

“It will be absolutely perfect for your wedding.”

They turned around to see an elegant woman in a grey suit approaching them, her dark hair pulled back in a smooth chignon. She smiled at them. “Hello, I’m Margaret, the special events planner here. I assume you are Richard and Maddie?”

Tris chuckled a little nervously. “Uh, no, sorry, we were just glancing in.”

“Oh.” Margaret’s demeanor changed slightly but she honed in on their entwined hands. “Sorry, I have an appointment soon, I just assumed you were that couple.” Her dark eyes narrowed. “If you are considering the Drake for your wedding, I would suggest making an appointment as soon as possible. We book up quickly and a deposit is required.” She reached into the portfolio in her hands and removed a business card. She offered it with a sharp smile. “Please feel free to call anytime.” She turned and walked away on her ice pick heels.

Tobias stuffed the card in his jeans pocket. “Well, I guess I need to make sure I remember the checkbook when we come back, huh?”

Tris rolled her eyes at his teasing. “Well it’s a good thing we aren’t ready for marriage then.” She tugged on his hand, leading him out of the hallway. She didn’t notice the stricken look on his face.

*****

“The wallpaper is hideous.” Natalie commented. Tris chuckled.

“I know. Tobias said he’s having it all taken down and the walls will be primed so we can customize it. I’d also like to change the light fixtures in the living room.” She glanced up at him and frowned slightly at the drawn expression on his face. Unbeknownst to her, he’d been replaying her words, that they weren’t ready for marriage, over and over. When their eyes met, Tobias quickly smoothed out his expression.

“Why don’t I clean up?” Tobias offered.

Natalie smiled at him gratefully. “Thanks, Tobias.” Tris’s eyes tracked his movements as he stacked their dinner plates. Tris’s attention turned back to her mother at the sound of her voice.

“I think a rich color would work around the bay window. Maybe a peacock blue…” As Tris and her mom looked over the house pictures, Tobias took the plates into the kitchen. He stacked them in the dishwasher, grateful for the moment of silence. Once he was done, he looked out of the window over the sink, into the backyard of the house he grew up in, directly behind the Priors’.

Andrew quietly entered the kitchen and noted Tobias’s hunched shoulders. Tobias was never a gregarious man, but Andrew noticed he’d been even quieter than normal today. Tobias had been nine when the Priors moved into the neighborhood. He’d been a quiet, withdrawn kid, the complete opposite of his best friend, the outgoing, goofy Zeke. For some reason, Tobias and Zeke had appointed themselves the protectors of the new Prior kids, refusing to let anyone bully them, particularly Caleb. Tris was more than willing to stick up for herself, but Caleb, a shy, slightly nerdy kid, had been a favorite target of some of the meaner neighborhood kids. Tobias and Zeke had put a stop to all of it. It was something Andrew in particular appreciated. He’d been the geeky kid in his neighborhood, just like Caleb. Tobias’s defense of Caleb had gone a long way to earning Andrew’s admiration. Everything else he’d endured had only solidified it. When he realized Tobias was staring at his childhood home, he cleared his throat.

“He moved, you know.”

Tobias glanced over his shoulder. “No, I didn’t. I haven’t spoken to him since my first year of college.”

Andrew came over and stood next to Tobias. “The entire neighborhood found out about what happened when you two left. I think Marcus found it uncomfortable that everyone knew he was hitting you and Evelyn.”

“Did you know? Before?”

Andrew took a deep breath. “We suspected.” He hesitated, then told Tobias the truth. “I’m the one who called the police that night. He’d left the blinds open. I saw him hit you and I called.”

Tobias nodded and leaned against the counter. He met Andrew’s eyes. “I would never do that to her.” He said quietly. To his relief, Andrew laughed.

“It never even occurred to me you would. You’ve always been a good kid, Tobias. Even when you were angry, you had lines that you just wouldn’t cross.” Andrew folded his arms across his chest and regarded the young man in front of him. When he and Tris were together, Tobias was usually a lot more outgoing, but today he’d been a bit melancholy. “What’s wrong?”

Tobias started to reply that nothing was, but when he looked up, he found himself pierced by Andrew’s bluish-gray eyes. They were the exact same color as Tris’s, and just as he did with her, Tobias found himself blurting out the truth.

“I want to marry her.”

Andrew raised his eyebrows. “This is not a surprise to me.”

Tobias chuckled weakly. “She doesn’t want to marry me.”

Andrew’s expression quickly went from amused to confused. “She’s moving to England to be with you. Why would you think she doesn’t want to marry you?”

Tobias spilled out the brief conversation with the event planner. “I was planning on taking her to the Navy Pier tonight and giving her this.” He reached in his pocket and pulled out a black velvet pouch. In it was the ring he’d had for nearly a year.

Andrew looked at the emerald-cut solitaire with diamonds running down each side of the band and felt a lump in his throat. Tris was his youngest child, and even though he was pleased with the idea of Tobias as his future son-in-law, it was bittersweet to know she would no longer be his little girl. “Tris loves you. I’m sure this is just a misunderstanding,” he said quietly. “Even if tonight is not the right time, you’ll know when it is. And she’ll say yes.”

Tobias dropped the ring in the pouch and stuffed it back into his pocket. “Do you really think so?”

“I know so.” Andrew clapped him on the shoulder. “Your father is an ass.” Tobias let out a bark of surprised laughter. “But you aren’t,” Andrew continued.

“So, does this mean you approve of my asking her?” Tobias asked hesitantly. The conversation hadn’t quite turned out the way he wanted, but Andrew’s approval meant a lot.

“Yes, I do.”

Tobias held out his hand and Andrew shook it firmly. “I won’t let you down, Andrew.”

Andrew smiled. “Welcome to the family.”

*****

Tris and Tobias walked along the Navy Pier, making their way through the crowd to the railing so they could get a good view of the fireworks. Tris staked out a place and pulled Tobias next to her. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and she snuggled into him, her head on his chest. It was a warm, clear night so Tris figured the display would look wonderful.

“You’ve been quiet,” she observed.

“Jet lag catching up to me, I guess.”

Tris suspected he was lying, but it was certainly possible, so she didn’t call him on it. She wrapped her arms around his waist. “I can’t believe we’ll be living together again in less than a month.”

He squeezed her shoulders. “I’m looking forward to it.”

She looked up at him, her eyes glittering in the low light. “Are you really?” She asked, her voice pleased.

He nodded and dropped his head to brush his lips across hers. “Yeah.” Tobias had kissed her for the first time during that fireworks display when they were teenagers. Whenever he was home, they made it a point to come here. It was why Tobias had wanted to propose here, but now...

They looked up at the first crack of the fireworks. Tris laughed a little; she’d always loved the fireworks and the summer displays at the Pier were particularly enjoyable. She snuggled into Tobias’s side, her eyes glued to the sky, a huge smile on her face.

Tobias looked down at her, glad that she was happy. But for him, the colors were just a bit muted.

 


	4. Manchester

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tris and Tobias are together now in Manchester but all is not easy for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: There are not enough thanks in the world to cover what I owe BK2U who really pushed me to write this chapter, edited out the stupid stuff and listened to me whine. The ever supportive enj412 was an invaluable source of emotional support. Without them, this would not be possible.

xXx

Tobias was having the crappiest day he could remember. When he’d walked into the locker room, he’d found a tabloid newspaper left in his locker. In it was an article about Nita Carias. He’d flipped through it, looking at the pictures with growing horror. Nita had posed for pictures wearing nothing but a replica of his jersey in various provocative poses. The article had juxtaposed pictures of them with ones from the UNICEF benefit, her snuggled up against his side. There were even a couple of her looking at him seductively, her fingers tracing the rim of her champagne glass. In the article, Nita had gushed about how big of a crush she had on him, how they had really hit it off when they met, and how she couldn’t wait until she saw him again. She’d even said that she and Tobias had really enjoyed each other’s company while at the fundraiser. Tobias’s horror had grown when the tabloid speculated on the nature of the relationship between the 'socialite and the soccer star'.

He’d had to listen to the ribbing from his teammates throughout practice, most of the snidest comments coming from that ass, Peter. He’d been so preoccupied that his game had sucked and Amar had gotten in his face about it. Then, after practice, the coach called a team meeting to talk about distractions. Tobias hadn’t been mentioned by name, but he knew it was about that stupid article. To make matters even worse, he’d nearly punched Peter in the locker room after the team meeting when Peter asked how juggling two women was working out for him. Amar had intervened and had reamed him out again after everyone else had left the locker room. Tobias had left the practice field with his nerves stretched taut and his temper on a short trigger.

Then, he’d gotten a summons to his agent’s office, meaning he’d had to text Tris and tell her he couldn’t pick her up at the train station. Her only answer had been “okay,” which was a lot less than she usually texted. Tobias spent most of the meeting tuning out his agent and worrying instead about Tris’s terse response.

The meeting with his agent had nearly been a disaster. His agent had been thrilled with the publicity the Carias article was generating, and it had taken every ounce of Tobias’s willpower not to fire the jerk on the spot. Tobias had made it clear in no uncertain terms that he wanted nothing to do with the article and nothing to do with Nita. He couldn't give a shit about his image; he just wanted to play football and live a drama-free life with Tris.

Tobias checked his phone the second he got into his car and saw that Tris had texted him nearly two hours earlier saying she was home. Tobias rested his head on his steering wheel. He’d been worried all day that she’d seen the article, and that she’d be wondering about that night at the UNICEF benefit. What if she was doubting his fidelity? What if that was the real reason why she didn’t want to marry him?

As much as he hated to admit it, he had to consider that Tris might never want to marry him. They were still apart four days a week. Tris’s program at Oxford had a residency requirement, so she had a room on campus. She only came to Manchester on Thursday nights and stayed until Monday morning. Things had felt off between them ever since she’d moved. They’d painted the house, bought furniture and otherwise had begun creating a life together, but Tobias was beginning to feel as though he was waiting for the other shoe to drop. Tris had made no move to discuss their relationship, and to make matters worse, she hadn’t mentioned anything about her plans after her one year Master’s program. He wasn’t at all sure what he’d do if she decided to move back to America. The idea that they could have come this far, could have dealt with so much, only to have her change her mind, was nearly driving him insane.

And now, that goddamned Carias article had to pop up. Tobias couldn't even begin to imagine what had gotten into that woman. They’d spent maybe fifteen minutes together. Sure, she’d come on pretty strongly, but Tobias had been clear that he was absolutely not interested. That innuendo she’d dropped had made it sound like they’d been making out in the middle of the dance floor.

He sighed and turned the key in the ignition, driving home along the darkened streets. He pulled into the brick driveway next to his house and simply sat there a moment. It was crazy, but he was actually nervous about seeing Tris. She was home, he knew, but they hadn’t spoken, so he didn’t know if she’d seen the article yet.

Tobias didn’t think Tris would take the article seriously, but given the uncertainty of their relationship right now, he just wasn’t sure anymore. They’d been through having girls hit on him plenty of times before. Tobias wasn’t an idiot; he knew women tended to think he was attractive, but the attention he’d gotten since joining Manchester United, since winning the World Cup, had been far beyond anything he’d experienced before. If Tris had seen the Carias article, would she be mad at him? Would she be waiting for a knockdown, drag-out fight, or would she understand it was just another example of a woman throwing herself at him to no avail?

“Jesus, Eaton, grow some balls.” He growled to himself. Annoyed, he shoved his way out of the car, grabbing his duffel bag. He opened the door to the house and quietly shut it behind him. It was after 10 PM, so it was possible Tris was sleeping. He made his way through the darkened hallway and into the kitchen, pouring himself a glass of water from the pitcher he kept in the refrigerator. He downed it swiftly, wishing it was alcohol, but he had to severely cut down his alcohol use during the season. He left the duffel in front of the cabinet that hid the washer/dryer combo. He’d dump his soiled clothes into the wash in the morning.

As Tobias made his way up the stairs, he noticed light spilling into the hallway from their bedroom. He sighed. She was awake. He took a deep breath and continued up the stairs. He walked down the short hallway and stopped in the doorway of their bedroom. The tabloid newspaper was on her lap. He sighed again, knowing there was no avoiding this conversation.

Tris looked up at him, her brow creased in annoyance. “Tough day?” She asked, clearly irritated.

Tobias’s eyes narrowed. “Yeah, it was a bitch.”

She rolled her eyes. “I can’t imagine why.” She made a show of flipping through the tabloid. “I’m sure this little gem got you a lot of notoriety in the locker room.”

Her tone was beginning to piss him off. “Yeah, because I so love this kind of public attention.” He shot back.

Tris’s frown deepened. “You didn’t mention that you met her.”

“Because it wasn’t important to me.”

She held up the tabloid, turned to the picture of Nita snuggling against his side, smiling. “You two seemed quite…cozy.”

Tobias tried to tamp down his growing aggravation with little success. “They asked us to pose for a picture. It was a fundraiser, Tris. That shit happens.”

She tossed the paper aside with a huff. “You don’t get to be pissed off at me. You’re the one snuggled up to some other woman in the international press.”

“For fuck's sake, Tris, that isn’t my fault!”

Tris crossed her arms under her breasts. “You certainly weren’t fighting her off. And what’s this about you two ‘enjoying each other’s company’? What the hell is that all about?”

“How am I supposed to know?” He spit out, irritated. He started to move into the room, towards the bed and stopped himself. Tris was overreacting, and he wasn't sure how much more control he had left. The conversation was rapidly devolving, and more than anything he didn’t want to say something he’d later regret.

Tris’s gray eyes pinned him, accusation shining clearly. “You were late getting to Chicago. You claimed there was a plane delay.”

“Are you calling me a liar?” He asked slowly, his voice dropping to a growl. He felt the rage rising in him and was vaguely aware that he was beginning to vibrate from the stress.

Tris seemed to pause and take a deep breath. “What happened that night?” She asked. There was something he wasn’t telling her, and she would be damned if he wasn’t going to give her the answers she wanted.

“I was bored to tears. I sat there with what’s-her-face from my mom’s company. She kept getting pissy with me because I was texting you.” Their eyes met and clashed. “Then Nita came over. She said she wanted to meet me because I was such a generous donor.” He took a deep breath. “She flirted with me, then I left. That’s all. When I got to the airport, the fucking plane needed some stupid part replaced. That’s the whole story.”

“And I’m supposed to believe that?”

He let out a noise of frustration. Between clenched teeth, he replied, “Tris, I've told you nothing happened. I'm not interested in her.”

Tris glared at Tobias, "Well, why the hell is she telling people that you two had a great time together and will be seeing one another again?"

“Christ!” Tobias threw his hands up. “Do I control what that bitch does? I have no idea why she would say that!”

“Did you sleep with her?”

“Of course not! What, do you really think I fucked her in the coatroom then got on a plane to Chicago and fucked you first thing in the morning?” He looked at her incredulously. “That’s what you think of me?”

Tris wrapped her arms around herself. “I don’t know what I think of you right now.”

Tobias pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes then ran his hands through his hair.  His head throbbed in sync with the pulse of his blood pumping hard throughout his body; his anger soared with her accusations and distrust.  “You know what? Fuck this. If you don’t want to get married, just say so. Don’t pull this bullshit on me and expect me to take the fall as the bad guy. Just quit with the games and tell me the truth.”

Tris stared at him. “What are you even talking about? This is about you, not me.”

“The hell it is!” He slammed his fist against the doorjamb, causing Tris to jump. “I think you’re just looking for an excuse to get out. I've told you I didn't do anything wrong. If you don't want to believe me, then go, but it’s on you.” He turned and headed down the stairs. Tris followed him, stopping at the top of the stairs.

“Where are you going?” She yelled.

“Amar’s!” He grabbed his keys from the entryway table and slammed the door behind him.

Tris sank down, sitting on the top stair. He’d never walked out on her before. He’d be back. She waited for a couple of minutes; then, to her surprise, she heard a motorcycle. She hurried down the stairs and looked out the sliding glass back door. The door to the shed in the back where he kept his motorcycle was slightly open. She went into their living room and glanced out of the bay window. She could see his car in the driveway. He’d left. He’d really left.

Tris made her way up the stairs, tears beginning to form in her eyes. She wasn’t sure how things had gone so wrong so quickly. She didn’t really think he’d cheated on her. Or did she? He was hiding something, that was certain, but what if it wasn’t Nita? And how the hell did marriage come into it?

Climbing into bed, she reached for her cell phone. Christina would probably still be in one of her law school classes, but she could at least leave a message. To her surprise, Christina answered.

“Chris!”

“Hey, Tris.” A nasally, gravelly voice replied.

“Are you okay?” Tris asked, distracted by the sound of Christina’s voice.

“Ugh, upper respiratory infection. That’s why I’m not in my Contracts class being bored to death.” Christina coughed. “But what’s going on with you?”

“Oh, Chris.” Tris sighed, her voice beginning to break.

“What’s wrong? Hey, why are you calling so late, isn’t it after 10 there?”

“Yeah. Tobias and I had a fight. He stormed out.”

“He what?” Christina was surprised. Dramatic fights and storming out were a Zeke and Shauna thing, not a Tris and Tobias thing.

Tris spilled out the whole story. The stupid article, the fight, everything.

“Okay, hold on, let me pull this up.” Tris heard Christina tapping on her laptop, searching for the tabloid story. Christina was silent for a moment before mumbling, “Yeah, right. Whatever. Stupid bitch.” Tris smiled a little. “Okay,” Christina said, “Well, that was a total pile of horse manure. What’s got you so upset? You can’t possibly think there’s anything to this, do you?”

“Did you see her, Chris? She’s gorgeous!”

“Yeah, and...? Women have been throwing themselves at Tobias for years. Hell, remember that stupid girl who used to flash her boobs at him when he was practicing at Northwestern?”

Tris looked down, shaking her head a bit. “This is different. He’s keeping something from me.”

“Have you asked him about it?”

“I – I asked him if he slept with her, if that’s what you mean?”

“You did what?” Christina exclaimed, which brought on a new round of coughing. Tris waited while she caught her breath. “You actually asked him that?”

“Yeah. He was pretty pissed.”

“Well, no shit. He denied it, I’m sure.”

“Yeah.” Tris stared down at the blue quilt, the one they’d bought together at a craft fair in Oxford. “Did I mess up?”

Christina sighed and coughed again. “If you’re asking me if I think Tobias would cheat on you, the answer is no. No way in hell. There’s some reason you asked, though, so let’s examine this. What happened that night at the fundraiser?”

“He went because his mom guilted him into it. He was already in New York to do some promos for UNICEF. We were texting a little while he was there. He had a 9 PM flight, but when he got to the airport it had been delayed. At least that's what he claimed.”

“Do you think he lied?”

Tris thought about it. She thought about the annoyance and then the anger in his voice, the exhaustion that had been clearly etched on his face when she saw him and said softly, “No.” She sighed as she realized that she hadn’t been thinking clearly since she saw the article. All she’d seen was a gorgeous woman cuddled up with _her_ man.

“So, do you really think he would sleep with her?”

“No,” she whispered.

“Then what’s this all about, Tris? You know Tobias loves you, so what’s the real deal?”

“He thinks I don’t want to marry him,” Tris said, her voice small. Losing him was her biggest fear, and having him accuse her of not wanting to be married had pierced her heart.

“What?”

“When we argued tonight, he said that if I didn’t want to get married, that was on me and he wouldn’t give me a reason to make him the bad guy. Plus, a few weeks ago, we went to his coach’s house for dinner. I was coming back from the bathroom when I heard Bud’s wife asking when we were getting married. He told her I didn’t want to.” Tris sniffled, holding back the tears that had been threatening since Tobias walked out.

“Did you tell him you didn’t want to get married?” Christina’s voice, even beneath the rasp, was incredulous.

“No!”

“Well, there’s gotta be some reason why he thinks that. He’s not stupid, Tris. He wouldn't just assume that without a reason.” Christina paused, sipping on water. “Has he talked about the future?”

“Not recently.”

“Well, have you talked to him about what you want?” Tris was silent, and Christina groaned. “Good Lord, how in the world did you two ever get together if you won’t freaking talk?”

“Well, I mean, he’d joke about it sometimes. But that’s all it was.”

“Did you blow him off?”

“I thought he was joking, Chris! I didn’t think he was serious.”

Tris could imagine Christina rubbing her temples. “When a man makes a joke about marriage, Tris, it means he’s _thinking_ about it. And if you actually want to marry that man, you sure as shit don’t blow him off! Joke or not!” At Tris’s silence, Christina continued. “No man is going to propose to a woman unless he’s pretty sure she’s going to say yes. Tobias is not going to put himself out there unless he knows you will, too.”

Tris leaned her head back against the headboard. Her head was beginning to ache with her rising panic. “What do I do, Chris?” She moaned.

Christina sighed. “Well, don’t panic. You and Tobias have been together for years. I doubt seriously he’s changed his mind about wanting you. What you need to do is actually talk to him about getting married. Make sure he knows you want to. And yes, _you_ have to do it.  You have to talk to him.” Christina said sternly. “You broke this, so you have to fix it.”

“I know, I know.” Tris sighed.

“And don’t worry about the ho.” Christina ordered. “She’s not relevant.”

Tris laughed weakly. “I won’t. Thanks, Chris.” Tris hung up and plugged her phone into the charger on the nightstand. She turned off the lamp and sank down into the soft pillow. The dark enfolded her, but for once, it didn’t feel soothing. The tears she’d been holding back finally began a slow trek down her face. The bed was cold and empty without Tobias.


	5. Manchester United - Manchester Pt 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tris and Tobias have a rough night after their fight and now have to figure out a way to pick up the pieces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Once again, BK2U has proven to be the most amazing beta ever! She is as responsible for this chapter as I am, probably more so because she made it make sense. She has my eternal gratitude. I also am forever indebted to enj412 for being my ever faithful cheerleader.

xXx

The sunlight streaming into the bedroom woke Tris from a deep sleep. It had seemed to take her forever to drift off, but once she did, she hadn’t wanted to wake up. She rubbed at her swollen eyes and slowly dragged herself out of bed. She pulled off her nightgown and pulled on jeans and one of Tobias’s t-shirts.  In the bathroom, she splashed cold water on her face then studied herself critically in the mirror. Her eyes were as red and puffy as she’d thought they would be. She sighed and brushed her teeth. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail, and slowly headed down the stairs. She turned into the kitchen and stopped when she saw the cellar door was open. Her heart began thumping rapidly when she heard the low strains of music. He was home.

Tris slowly descended the stairs and peeked around the doorway. Tobias was lying on his back on his weight bench, smoothly lifting a barbell over his chest. Not wanting to disturb him, she crept back up the stairs. She noticed his gym bag on the floor, so she opened the cabinet containing the washer/dryer combo and threw his clothes inside. There were already clothes in there, waiting, so she turned it on.

Wanting simple, domestic chores to focus on, she opened the refrigerator door and pulled out vegetables, fruit and eggs. She put them on the counter and nearly cried when she saw the box from her favorite bakery. He’d made sure she had her favorite scones. Sighing, she began to chop fruit. She looked up when she heard Tobias coming up the stairs.

He stopped short when he saw her in the kitchen. His dark eyes were dull and there were deep circles under them. Tris felt a pang in her chest as she realized he hadn’t slept any better than she had. “Hi,” she said softly.

“Hey,” he replied coolly.

“Hungry?”

“I guess.” He looked down at himself. “I – uh – I need a shower. I’ll be back.” He turned and walked out of the room.

Tris watched him retreat upstairs. She put the chopped fruit in a bowl and started on the vegetables. She went over and over what she’d say to him when he came back down while she chopped the vegetables for a frittata. She’d just slid the skillet in the oven when he reappeared.

They stared at each other, neither one knowing where to start. Finally, Tris cleared her throat. “About the article…”

His dark blue eyes flashed with anger. “I said nothing happened.” His voice was steely.

Tris shook her head. “Wait, no, that didn’t come out right. I meant I’m sorry about the article.” She looked down at the floor. “I overreacted.”

Tobias took a deep breath and willed himself to calm down. “Okay.” He stared at her for a moment. “Do you really think I’m a cheating bastard?”

“I never said that!”

“No, but you sure as hell implied it.” He shot back, his voice beginning to rise. “I don’t even know how you could think I would.”

“Look at her,” she said, her voice rising in anguish. “She’s gorgeous!”

Tobias’s dark blue eyes impaled her. “So, not only am I a cheat, I’m also so shallow that I only care about looks? All the years we’ve been together and I’m going to just throw that aside for some pretty face?” He laughed without humor. “I didn’t realize you thought so little of me.”

“That’s not it. I don’t think that, I…” She stopped and held up a hand. “I don’t want to fight about this again. I was wrong. I admit it.”

Tobias just stared at her. “You didn’t answer me. Do you really believe I’d cheat on you?”

She looked at the floor. “No.”

He laughed again. “Nice. You won’t even look at me when you say that. That’s just great.”

Tris looked up at him and saw the bitterness in his voice matched by the pain in his eyes. She felt a squeeze in her chest as she realized just how much she’d hurt him. “I don’t think you would cheat on me.” She said, her eyes holding his. “You’ve got a lot more integrity than that, and I’m so sorry I thought otherwise, even for a minute.” Tris waited for him to say something but after a moment, it was clear he wasn’t going to.  “Tobias, I don’t know how many more ways I can say I’m sorry.” Her voice broke a little and he sighed.

“I hate this.” He grumbled, rubbing his forehead as if he had a headache. “I’m tired of things being like this between us. I just want it all to go back to normal.”

“Are you in this for the long haul?” She heard herself suddenly blurt out. Mortified, she felt heat creeping into her cheeks. That was not how she had wanted to ask him.

“I had thought we both were, Tris.”  Tobias crossed his arms across his chest, his feet planted apart. He leveled a hard look at her. “Are you?” He challenged.

Tris swallowed nervously. Christina’s words echoed in her ears. It was up to her to at least start to fix this. “Yes,” she said, raising her eyes to meet his. He was silent for a long minute, just staring at her, as though he was trying to read her mind. To her relief, his shoulders sagged a little as he let out a breath.

She took a step towards him and his arms dropped to his side. She put her hands on his chest. “I was scared you weren’t,” she said softly. “I think that’s why I overreacted to that story. Things have been…tense…since I moved here, and I just didn’t know what to make of it.”

His hands covered hers. “I haven’t really been sure where I stand with you.” He confessed.

“I love you, Tobias.”

“Do you?” Tobias’s voice was soft, but she could hear the honesty in the question.

She sighed. She hadn’t realized how badly they’d needed to actually talk to each other about this. “Yes, more than anything. I can’t imagine you not being in my life, not being mine. I don’t ever want to.”

Tobias slid his hands into his pockets.  “I think we have some things to work on, Tris,”  he said quietly, looking down at his shoes. 

Tris stared at his bowed head. “How did we get so far off course, Tobias?” she asked, wanting nothing more than to lay her head on his chest and hug him. 

He shrugged. “I thought once we were at least in the same country it would be easier.”

The oven timer went off, interrupting them before she could respond. “Is that breakfast?” he asked.

“Yeah.” Tris moved to the oven, grabbing a glove and pulling the skillet out. She put it on the stove burner.  “You should eat something.”

“It does smell good,” he admitted, even though he wasn’t terribly hungry.

“Thank you. And thank you for getting scones.”

“You’re welcome.”

Tris couldn’t stand the distance between them anymore and she wrapped her arms around his waist. “We’ll be okay, won’t we?”  His arms encircled her, but held her loosely.

He rested his forehead on hers and closed his eyes.  “I hope so.” Opening them slowly, he sighed heavily.

She looked deeply into his eyes, trying to read them.  They looked tired, bloodshot, but she could see nothing else.  Tobias had retreated inside himself.  She pulled out of his arms and tried for a light tone.  “Ready to eat?”

He nodded and picked up the fruit, placing it on the table.  As Tris cut the frittata and put it on their plates, he poured glasses of orange juice for them. They moved around the kitchen easily together, each anticipating the other’s movements despite the tension Tris could feel between them.  They sat at the table and quietly began eating.

When they were nearly finished, Tris broke the awkward silence.  “You were at Amar’s house last night?”  Next to her, Tobias stiffened and Tris sighed.  She placed her hand on his forearm and was relieved he didn’t pull away.  “It’s just a question, Tobias.”  She said softly.  “I’m not accusing you of anything.”

He took a deep breath and deliberately relaxed his shoulders.  “Sorry.”  He mumbled, sipping at his juice.  After a moment, he said,  “Yeah.  I slept on his couch.”  He snorted a little.  “Or rather I _didn’t_ sleep on his couch.”

She nodded.  “It took me forever to fall asleep, too.  I don’t like sleeping without you.”  Tobias didn’t respond so Tris tried again.  “What did you guys do?”

Tobias shrugged.  “He lectured me.  Again.  Third time in one day.  Then we had a drink.”

Tris tried not to gawk at him.  “You don’t drink during the season.”

He looked down at his plate, his voice flat and hard when he finally spoke.  “Last night was an exception.”

Tris was quiet.  Tobias didn’t drink often; he preferred to be in control of himself, so for him to drink during the season typically meant something was very wrong.  She took a deep breath and decided to ask the question that was foremost on her mind.  “Why do you think I don’t want to get married?”  She swallowed hard, nervously awaiting his response.

He poked at the fruit on his plate.  He debated not telling her the truth, but then stopped himself.  If he didn’t say anything, they would never get past it.  “You said back in Chicago that we weren’t ready.”  He put down the fork and pinned her with a direct look.  “Then once you got here, you never talked about any plans for the future beyond your Master’s.  I don’t even know if you want to stay here.”  He didn’t add _with me_ , even though he thought it.

Tris looked at him in surprise.  “I...” she stopped and took another deep breath, deliberately switching her tone from incredulous to gentle.  “I assumed that my staying was a given.”

Tobias rubbed the back of his neck.  “I thought so, too, but when you said we weren’t ready and then never mentioned staying here in Manchester, I started to wonder if you’d changed your mind.”

“No, of course not.”  She reached over again and rested her hand on his.  “If you were questioning this, why didn’t you ever bring it up?”

“Why didn’t you?”  He challenged.  Tris sighed and looked at him, frustrated.  He shrugged.  “Okay, fine.  Like I said, I was under the impression that you didn’t think we were ready.  I didn’t really want to hear you say it.”

“I thought you were joking.  It didn’t occur to me that you might be serious about wanting to make things permanent already.”  Tris said sincerely. 

Tobias felt the heat creep up his neck.  It hadn’t occurred to him that maybe he’d been treating the topic too flippantly himself.  Maybe he had been giving her rather mixed signals.  “I wasn’t, but maybe I should have been clearer about that.”  He admitted grudgingly.  She squeezed his hand and he turned over his palm so he could grasp her hand. 

Tobias sat in silence for a moment.  Much of the tension he had been feeling had dissipated and was being replaced by a bone-deep exhaustion.  “I’m sorry about the article.  I had no idea she would do something like that.” 

Tris shrugged.  “It wasn’t your fault.” 

Tobias stared down at their joined hands.  He was tired, so tired, and just wanted to lose himself in oblivion for a little while.  “We need to talk more.”  He said quietly.  “But right now, I just can’t.” 

Tris stared at him.  He looked completely exhausted and Tris didn’t have the heart to keep pushing him to resolve everything right away.  She squeezed his hand.  “Okay.  Why don’t you go upstairs and take a nap?  You’ve got a game tomorrow so you need to rest.  I’ll wake you up in a little while.”

He nodded and pushed away from the table.  She sat, listening to the heavy tread of his footsteps up the stairs and into their bedroom.  She turned to look out the sliding glass doors into their backyard.  The walled backyard was bricked over, so they’d planted container gardens and scattered them around the patio furniture and grill.  The walls were surrounded by trees and ivy, creating a sense of privacy even though they shared a wall with the home next to them.  They’d chosen the plants together, spent a weekend planting them just a few weeks ago.  She remembered thinking that next year, she wanted to try tomato plants in containers.  She wished she’d mentioned that to him when they were planting.  She looked towards the hallway.  She’d shaken his confidence and she knew it was going to take a while to get it back.    

Tris busied herself with cleaning up the breakfast dishes, then folded the laundry once it was done, all the while wondering how she was going to break through the walls Tobias had built up.  Looking back, she realized they’d blamed any misunderstandings on the physical distance that separated them without actually working through the problem.  They really needed to be more open with each other, she mused.  They needed to create a safe space between them where they could talk openly without fear.

In some ways, he was more forthright with his feelings than she was: he’d kissed her first and said 'I love you' first. At the same time, however, he would wait for a signal from her on what their next step would be.  She’d been the one to bring up making love their first time, she’d been the one who pushed for them to be together when he visited her in Paris.  She’d made the decision to pursue her graduate studies in England to be near him.  It just made sense that he’d want a clear sign from her about wanting to get married. 

Glancing at the clock, she realized Tobias had been asleep about an hour.  She headed upstairs, figuring she’d check on him.  She took the laundry basket with her, maneuvering quietly up the stairs.  She put the basket on the floor at the foot of the bed and observed him.  He’d taken off his shirt and was curled on his side, deeply asleep.  The exhaustion was still outlined clearly on his face but he looked peaceful.  Just looking at him made Tris realize how tired she was, too.  Shucking off her jeans so she was dressed only in his t-shirt, she stretched out on the bed next to him.  His back was to her so she fit herself against him, wrapping her arm around his waist, a reversal of their usual position.  He was warm, comforting; brushing her lips against his back, Tris fell into a light slumber.

xXx

Tobias slowly opened his eyes, trying to figure out why he felt so off.  Then he remembered stumbling into the bedroom earlier this morning and practically collapsing on the bed.  Tris had said she would wake him, so he could not have been asleep long.  Blinking to encourage the fog in his head to dissipate, he realized he was not alone in the bed.  He turned over to face Tris.

She smiled at him.  From the sleepy look in her blue-gray eyes, he could tell she’d just awakened, too.  They lay quietly, their heads on their respective pillows, and stared at each other.

“I think I might have a solution,” she said hesitantly.

He raised an eyebrow.  “Okay.”

“What if we create a code phrase, something like 'conference time' or 'let's have a meeting'.  When we hear that phrase, we'll know that we need to have an open conversation where we are completely honest.  We aren't allowed to hold anything one of us says against the other.  It’s like a verbal safe house.  And for now, we could commit to doing it every time I come home.  It’ll force us to get into the habit.”

Tobias considered her proposal.  It was actually a pretty good idea.  In general, he wasn’t much for the idea of baring his soul, but if it would repair his relationship with Tris, he would force himself to do it.  He nodded slowly.  “I think that’s probably a good start.”  He said tentatively.

Tris relaxed, glad to get his agreement.  “We’re in this situation because we wouldn’t talk to each other honestly.  This will force us to do that.”  She put her hand on his cheek, smiling at the rough stubble abrading her palm.  “You’ll know where I stand,” she said, softly.  “No more hiding from each other. I want us to fix this, Tobias.”

He hooked an arm around her waist and pulled her a bit closer to him.  “Yeah.  Okay, we’ll try it.” 

Tris held his gaze, smiling. Tobias leaned his head towards her and brushed his lips across hers. It was a soft, gentle touch, and Tris returned it with equal tenderness. His mouth moved against hers more confidently, using his lips to convey not only his love for her but also his forgiveness.  They were here, together, and for now he would be content with that. 


	6. Liverpool

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tris and Tobias are on the road to recovery when Tobias has a particularly vicious game.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Sorry this chapter took so long. I have a...um...complicated...real life job that gets in the way sometimes. Thank you all for waiting so long for this and I hope it does not disappoint. As always thanks to enj412 for support and the fabulous, amazing, never to be topped BK2U for beta services. Oh, BTW, hello QB. There will be one more chapter in this story which won't take as long, I promise!

xXx

Tris parked the car in front of the stadium. The team bus idled nearby, waiting to take the players and staff to Liverpool for the game. A few of the other players were arriving and heading into the practice facility to gather their gear before they boarded the bus. Tris shut off the car and turned to smile at Tobias. “Good luck.”

He smiled back hesitantly. “Thanks.”

She put her hand over his. “You look nervous.” She observed. “What’s wrong?”

Tobias took a deep breath and thought about his answer. Over the last month since they’d implemented the honest conversation rule, things had steadily improved between them. The first few conversations had been stilted and awkward for them both. Interestingly, Tris had been the one to find it harder to be completely honest, much more than Tobias. Tris trusted her gut and tended to go with her first impulse, while Tobias moved a lot slower, considering as many angles as possible before he acted, which sometimes put them at odds. Tris found herself holding back from him if she thought he wouldn’t like what she wanted to do. In the past few weeks, though, they’d worked hard at discussing things before doing them, Tris even conceding that though her end goal might be correct, Tobias was often right  about how they should go about it. The more Tris listened to his side, the more comfortable Tobias seemed with the final decision, and Tris had been pleasantly surprised at how quickly the walls between them had begun to crumble.

“I hate playing against Monroe,” he finally said. Everton was one of their rivals in the Premier league, and on their roster they had the soccer player Tobias most hated, Eric Monroe. They were playing on Everton’s home turf in Liverpool, so it promised to be a vicious game. “He plays dirty. Goes out of his way to be a dick.”

“He’s just jealous.” Tris frowned, thinking of the muscular blond player. She really didn’t like him, either, and Tobias was right: he seemed to get off on being as aggressive as possible.  Eric Monroe had been recruited a month before Tobias and had been touted in the press as the best new soccer player in England. Until Tobias was recruited. Eric had never quite gotten over the attention the press had placed on Tobias, who they had dubbed the “American Phenom.” When Tobias beat him out for a spot on the English National Football team, Eric’s enmity was sealed.

Tobias played with her fingers. “I guess.” He took a deep breath. “I don’t know. There’s something about today that feels off,” he admitted. “I’m just not feeling it.”

Tris squeezed his hand. “You’ll be terrific. And after you get home, we’ll have a quiet rest of the weekend.” She smiled. “Just the two of us.”

He smiled back and winked at her. “I especially like quiet nights.” He waggled his eyebrows in an exaggerated leer.

Tris laughed, smiling at his lightheartedness. She’d missed his teasing, and was thrilled that he seemed to be opening himself back up to her. She worried he still had doubts about her commitment, but she was sure they were both feeling much better about where they stood. Tris was even beginning to think that maybe they could discuss marriage soon. In the weeks since he’d revealed his fear that she didn’t want to marry him, Tris found herself thinking over and over about being his wife. She’d honestly not given it much thought before, but since he’d revealed his intentions, she couldn’t get it out of her mind.

“Are you going to Bud and Tori’s to watch the game?” he asked.

Tris nodded. “Yeah. I know she means well, trying to give me advice about life with soccer, but I'm just hoping it won’t be too awkward.”

His coach, Bud Meyer, had made a comment or two in the last several weeks about Tobias needing to have his head in the game and not on his personal issues. In a particularly awkward encounter, Bud had even inquired about Tobias's relationship with Tris. Tobias had a feeling that Tori had put him up to it. Tori’s brother, George, was Amar’s partner, and Tobias figured the grapevine had been activated the night Tobias crashed on their couch. Tobias had tried his best to blow off Bud’s questions. When Tori invited Tris to watch the next away game with her, Tobias figured Tori wanted to do some well-intentioned meddling. Tris had not been happy when he’d told her about it, but she’d agreed to go. Now that the day had arrived, she seemed to be second-guessing.

 “You don’t have to go. I can tell Bud that you’re feeling sick or something.” Tris was silent. “Be honest with me about this, Tris,” he implored.

 “I’ve realized I haven’t made much of an effort to be a part of your soccer life,” she admitted. He started to say something, but she shook her head to let him know she wasn’t finished. “I come to the games, but I don’t hang out. I need to change that. They are as much a part of your life as I am.”

Tobias leaned over and kissed her lightly. “It means a lot to me that you’re willing to do this.”

She kissed him back, her fingers trailing lightly along the side of his jaw. “Go on. It’ll be fine. Play well.”

Tobias pushed himself out of the car and Tris watched as he strode into the practice facility, her mind on her upcoming visit with Tori. She didn't want to alienate the coach’s wife, but at the same time, she had no desire to go. Tori was nice, but Tris wasn't in the mood to be given helpful advice. She sighed, deciding to just suck it up and give it her best effort.

In order to distract herself, Tris went about her normal weekend activities. She ran to the market, getting enough groceries to last Tobias through the week she’d be back in Oxford. At home, she caught up on laundry and even got in some time studying. Before she knew it, it was time for her to get ready. She dressed carefully in jeans and a grey and white sweater. She didn’t want to seem like she was trying too hard to make a good impression, but she knew whatever she said to Tori would get back to Bud. If Tris was going to live her life with Tobias, she wanted to make sure they liked her.

She typed the address into the GPS and found the Meyers’ quiet home without much trouble. She grabbed the bottle of wine she’d picked up and tucked it under her arm, pushing an errant strand of hair back into her ponytail as she rang the doorbell. Tori opened the door with a smile. “Tris! Welcome. Come on in.”

Tori was tall and slender, her almond-shaped brown eyes twinkling with warmth. She was dressed in all black, like any good artist, Tris thought with a smile. As they passed through the house to the recreation room, Tris admired Tori’s paintings that hung on the walls. Tori specialized in abstract art, and the art lover in Tris studied them with excitement. The rec room was a couple of steps down, and boasted a sliding glass door and skylights which bathed the room in light. It was a huge room, with a large couch, a couple of recliners, and a coffee table in-between the couch and the gigantic entertainment center. The coffee table was loaded with bowls of tortilla chips, queso dip and salsa.

“Please, have a seat.” Tori waved to the generously-sized tan couch.

Tris handed Tori the bottle of wine. “Tobias told me cabernet sauvignon was your favorite.”

“Yes, thank you. How sweet!”

Tris allowed herself to sink into the soft couch. “Thank you very much for inviting me.”

“It’s my pleasure. I’ll be right back.” Tori took the bottle of wine and disappeared in the direction of the kitchen.

The 72-inch television was already tuned to the pre-game. Tris glanced up to see the team going through their pre-game preparations. She smiled as she saw Tobias and a couple of his teammates talking and laughing as they stretched out. Tori returned with a tray loaded with glasses and a pitcher. “I hope you don’t object to margaritas.”

Tris smiled. “It’s hard to turn down a margarita.”

Tori placed the tray on the coffee table next to the salsa. She poured their drinks and handed one to Tris. She tapped her glass to Tris’s in a toast.

Tris sipped. “Wow. These are amazing.”

Tori grinned. “I fell in love with Tex-Mex when Bud and I took our last vacation in America. Now, I just can’t get enough.”

A couple of margaritas had Tris relaxing much more in Tori’s presence as they watched the game. The game was tight, each team pretty evenly matched. Between plays, they talked about art and food, two of their mutual interests. Tris had begun to think that her concern about Tori’s intentions was just paranoia when Tori asked, “How are you and Tobias getting on?”

Tris put her glass down. “We’re fine,” Tris said tightly.

Tori smiled and tucked her feet beneath her. “There’s nothing more annoying than someone poking their nose into your business, is there?” Her dark eyes shone with amusement at Tris’s tone.

Tris stifled a sigh. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be rude, but…”

“But there’s nothing I can possibly tell you about your relationship. And you’re right.” Tori finished with a smirk. She sipped her margarita. “Tris, I don’t mean to pry. But I’ve been there and I just wanted you to know that you don’t have to do this alone. Being a football wife can be pretty intimidating. Especially if your husband looks like Tobias.” Tori looked at Tris sympathetically. “I know you two have been together for a long time, and that’s good. That gives you a basis on which to build. But things like that magazine are going to happen, and you have to find a way to be okay with it.”

“Did it ever happen to you?” Tris asked after a moment’s hesitation. Tori had been in the soccer world for years and maybe she could at least give her a clue about how to handle whatever might be thrown at them next.

“No, not quite. As wonderful as Bud is, he isn’t quite a sex symbol.” She laughed affectionately. “But there were plenty of women who hit on him simply because of what he did. It got a lot better when he began coaching, but the years when he played were sometimes hard.” Tori sipped again. “I loved Bud, but it was tougher than I thought it would be.”

“How did you cope?”

Tori smiled. “By knowing where he slept every night.” She shook her head. “We kept the lines of communication open. Talked a lot. Yelled a lot.” She smiled fondly. “But ultimately, he’s exactly who I want. If you keep that in mind, it helps. Honestly.”

Tris gave a shaky sigh. “I guess a lot of our problem has been that we spent two years living apart. It’s been hard trying to navigate his job and school and being together again. But I think we’re getting to a really good place.” She met Tori’s brown eyes. Honesty wasn’t her best feature, but since she’d been practicing it with Tobias, she might as well try it with other people, too. “I know he told you I wasn’t ready to get married.”

Tori’s face betrayed no emotion. “That’s what he thinks. Or thought.”

“He’s wrong. I think he’s starting to believe me.”

Tori smiled. “Good. I like Tobias. He reminds us of our son.” Tori glanced over at the family photo on the wall featuring Tori, Bud, and their college age son, Richard. “I’d like to see him happy. Plus,” her grin turned wicked, “the way he plays, he makes Bud look brilliant. Job security.” Tris and Tori laughed together.  

Tori glanced up. “Oh, hey, it’s getting rough out there.” They turned to the television and watched as the teams fought over the ball. Tris frowned as she watched Tobias run into another Everton player. The ball went airborne and Tobias went up for it, as did Eric Monroe. As they collided, Eric’s elbow came up and crashed into Tobias’s temple. Tris gasped as Tobias collapsed on the ground and didn’t move.

Tori jumped to her feet. “He bloody well did that on purpose!” she yelled.

Tris couldn’t respond as she stared at Tobias, motionless on the ground. “Get up,” she murmured. Tris’s stomach dropped when she saw Bud and the medical staff rush out onto the field. She wasn’t aware that she was making small sounds of distress until Tori sat next to her and covered one of Tris’s hands.

“Hey, Tris, it’s okay. He’ll be okay.”

“He’s not moving, Tori.” Tris squeezed Tori’s hand. “He’s not moving.” The medical staff and players had surrounded Tobias, blocking her view, but she could still see his legs. To her frustration, the game broke for a commercial while the team hovered over Tobias. “Oh, God. He wasn’t moving.”

“It’s probably just a concussion,” Tori said, her voice firmly cheerful.

While the commercial break seemed to drag on forever, Tris nervously ran through the various options. What if Tobias was unconscious? How bad of a concussion was it? Would he have to be hospitalized? Tobias had pulled muscles, sprained ankles, and gotten bumps on the head before, but never had he actually been knocked out. Tris took in several deep breaths, hoping to calm her racing heart as she waited for what seemed like an eternity for the game to resume.

When it did, she saw with some relief that Tobias was sitting up, medical staff supporting his back. The medical cart was on the field and they helped him into it. Tris watched as the cart drove Tobias off the field, one of the medical team walking with it, his hand on Tobias’s chest. Over the roaring in her ears, Tris heard the announcer say that Eric Monroe had been ejected from the game.

“Good!” Tori said viciously. “And I hope FIFA fines the hell out of him!”

Tris reached for her purse and rooted around, looking for her cell phone. “Who can I call, Tori?”

Tori took the phone from her gently. “No one, Tris. They’ll all be attending him. We’ll hear soon enough.”

Tris dropped her purse, staring at the screen dejectedly. She wished fervently that she was there, that she was able to run into the locker room and make sure he was okay for herself. This would be part of her life, she realized. At any time, she could be watching, either on television or in the stands, as Tobias got hurt — and she wouldn’t be able to do anything about it. They’d been lucky so far. Tobias hadn’t been hurt very often, and definitely not seriously. Tears filled her eyes at the thought of him alone and hurting in the locker room, being examined by the medical staff.

She became aware of an arm around her shoulders. Tori was beside her, supporting her. This would be part of her life, too, she thought. She was part of the team, and they’d be there for her as much as they were for Tobias. Tris leaned against Tori and took a deep breath. She wouldn’t be okay until she saw Tobias for herself, but at least she wouldn’t be alone.

xXx

Tris spent the time waiting for the team to return by stocking up on things they might need while Tobias recovered. Tori had suggested she buy some medicines for an upset stomach, since nausea often accompanied a concussion. Tris also moved the floor lamp with a dimmable switch into the bedroom, in case he was experiencing any light sensitivity. Bustling around the market and the house gave Tris something to think about so that she didn’t obsess over how badly Tobias was actually hurt. The medical trainer had called her to give her an estimated time when they’d arrive from Liverpool. Even if he’d had his car, the staff would not have allowed him to drive. He did warn her to give them some time; the team doctor would want to give him another once-over before he let Tobias go home.

Tris waited about 30 minutes after the team’s estimated time of arrival to get to the stadium. Once there, she rushed into the practice facility. She’d only been there once, but luckily, she ran into Amar almost immediately.

“Hey, Tris. I was coming to see if you were here yet.” He enveloped her in a huge hug. Tris hugged him, then pulled back.

“Is he okay? Where is he?”

“In the back with the medical staff. The doc wants to see you first.” Amar led her through the winding hallways.

“Is he okay, Amar?” Tris asked, anxiously.

“Yes.” Amar glanced over at her, his expression serious, but his tone soothing. “He was only out for a minute. Monroe’s elbow caught him right by his temple. He came down pretty hard, so he’s going to be bruised up and sore as hell. The head is the only potential problem, but he hasn't shown any serious effects yet, so that’s good.” They finally arrived at an open office door. The team’s doctor, Matthew Keene, smiled at her.

“Hi, you must be Tris.” He stood and shook her hand.

“Tobias is okay?”

Matthew nodded. “Yes, he’s okay. It is a concussion, but not too bad. He lost consciousness for about a minute, but he has been coherent since then. I’d like him to see our regular neurologist tomorrow for a CT scan, just to be safe.” He handed Tris a card with an address. “The appointment is for noon. I didn’t want to schedule it for any earlier, just in case you have a rough night.”

“Do I need to wake him up every two hours like they say on TV?” she asked.

Matthew shook his head. “No, he dozed a little on the bus and seemed to be sleeping normally. Of course, if you notice anything unusual or can’t get him to wake up, call an ambulance immediately.”

Tris swallowed hard and pushed away the panic at the thought of Tobias not waking up. “Okay. What else?”

“He’s already feeling nauseous and dizzy, that’s normal. He might vomit. Once or twice is okay, but if he does it multiple times, get him to a doctor. He might also be a bit moody, overly emotional or even a little confused. That’s normal, too. He could also be just fine... it's difficult to tell with a head injury like this.” Matthew handed Tris a couple of typed pages with instructions. “You can treat the headache with over the counter medicine. Since he’s been nauseous, I’d go with acetaminophen. It’s easier on the stomach, but you can use ibuprofen if necessary. The biggest thing right now is for him to rest.  No exercise for at least a week, and he should avoid driving for now.”

Tris nodded. “Can I see him?”

“Sure. He’s in the back.” Matthew led Tris and Amar down the hall to the examination room. Tobias was sitting on the table, leaning back against the wall. His eyes opened when the door opened, and he smiled wearily at Tris.

“Hey, Tris.”

“Tobias.” She walked to him quickly and hugged him tightly. She pulled back and examined the darkening bruise on the side of his head. “How do you feel?”

“Exhausted. Can we go home now?” He asked Matthew.

Matthew chuckled. “Yes, you can go home. I’ve given Tris all the instructions you’ll need. You see Dr. Singh tomorrow for the CT scan and I want to see you again on Friday.”

“When can I play again?” Tobias asked, causing Tris to roll her eyes.

“We’ll decide after next week.” He frowned when Tobias looked like he was about to object. “That’s it, Tobias,” he said sternly. “At least a week. No driving and no exercise this week.”

Tobias sighed, irritated. “Fine,” he snapped. “Can I just get out of here?”

Matthew nodded cheerily. “Sure. But remember, take it easy for the next several days.” Matthew left the room, Tobias glaring after him.

He slid off the table and swayed a little, his head pounding. The room spun a bit and Tobias leaned against the exam table. A wave of dizziness threatened to send him to the floor. At that moment, he wanted nothing more than to lie down and not get up again.

“Careful there, mate.” Amar slid his arm around Tobias. “You’ll be on top of Tris there in a minute.”

“’S'okay. I’ve been on top of Tris a bunch of times,” he mumbled. Amar let out a loud snort of laughter and Tris blushed. Tobias frowned deeply. “That didn’t come out right. It sounded better in my head.”

“I imagine it did,” Amar murmured as he led Tobias down the hallways towards the parking lot. Tris got the car door open and Amar eased Tobias into the passenger seat. “There you go, mate. Try not to be too much of an ass to your girl here.”

“Bite me,” Tobias muttered, leaning his head back against the headrest and closing his eyes.

Amar closed the door and chuckled. “Will you need a hand with him? He was pretty much walking on his own, but I can follow you if you need.”

Tris shook her head. “No, we’ll be okay. You’ve got to be tired. I’ll call you tomorrow and let you know how he’s doing.”

Amar nodded. “George is on duty tonight at the hospital. Anything goes wrong, call me right after you call the ambulance. We’ll take care of it.”

“Thanks, Amar.” Tris brushed her lips across his cheek and got into the car. Tobias was already dozing as she pulled out of the parking lot. He slept the entire ride home, Tris shooting him worried looks every so often as she drove.

When they arrived home, Tobias was able to get upstairs and crawl into their bed with minimal assistance, despite his aching head and sore body. Finally able to lie down and stretch out, he fell asleep again within minutes.  Tris shook her head and prepared for a long night.

 


	7. Chapter 7 - Waking Up in Manchester

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tobias is recovering from his concussion and comes to an important decision. Tris is given an opportunity by Tori.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I lied. That took longer than I thought and this won’t be the last chapter. Sigh. Artistic temperament and a vicious sinus headache are to blame. Thanks to everyone for reading and sticking with me. As always, major thanks go to BK2U for beta services. I’m making no more promises about anything but stay tuned!

xXx

The bright sunlight woke Tobias from a peaceful stretch of sleep. He turned his head on the pillow carefully, grateful that the raging headache had dulled down to a vague throb. Beside him, Tris was still deeply asleep. He didn’t want to wake her; she’d had as rough of a night as he'd had. She’d gotten up with him in the middle of the night when the nausea had finally forced him into the bathroom; she'd rubbed his back, helped him rinse out his mouth, and fetched him ginger ale and crackers to try and settle his stomach. Even when he’d pushed her away, she’d stayed close by, ready to help him if he needed it.

He stared at her, admiring the softened lines of her face; she looked young and innocent as she slept. He remembered the first time he’d awakened next to her, almost six years ago. She’d lied to her parents, claiming she was spending the night with her friend Susan when she’d really gone to spend the night with him in his dorm room. She’d just turned 17, Tobias was 19. He’d been so nervous; making love to her for the first time had been equal parts terror and excitement. Even back then, their bond had been so strong. He had known his feelings for her ran deeper than they perhaps should have, given their tender ages; despite that, Tobias had already begun pondering a future with Tris, though he never said anything about it to her.

He tentatively reached out to push her hair back away from her face. He cupped her cheek in his palm. Six years later, he was even more convinced he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He took a deep breath. To his surprise, Tris opened her eyes and smiled sleepily. “Hey, how are you feeling?”

“Okay. Headache’s down to a mild roar.”

She shifted on the bed and stretched her limbs. “Good.”

“I didn’t mean to wake you.”

She sat up and glanced over at the clock. “It’s okay, we’ve only got a couple of hours until your CT scan. You hungry?”

Tobias nodded, trying not to move his head too much. “A little.” He sat up as well, pleased that he didn’t feel like his head was going to roll off his shoulders. His entire body had joined his head in a dull, aching throb, and he felt bruised all over. He moved his head gingerly from side to side, hoping to relieve some of the tension he could feel squeezing his neck. It didn’t work, and Tobias guessed he was just going to feel like shit for a few more days. As he glanced over at her, he realized what day it was: Monday, and Tris was going to have to head back to Oxford. He tried to stifle his disappointment; he hated seeing her leave, but he knew how important school was to her.

“Why don’t you take the car back to Oxford?” he suggested. “I won’t be able to drive this week, so I won’t need it. That way, you won’t get back so late after you drop me off at my doctor’s appointment. I can get Amar to pick me up for the game on Saturday.”

Tris frowned at him. “I’m not going back to Oxford this week. You need me here.”

Tobias sighed, frowning as well. “You’ve got classes, Tris.”

“So?” she challenged. “You’re more important.” He drew in a breath to argue with her, but she held up a hand. “Don’t bother. The subject is closed.” To soften him up, she leaned forward and brushed her lips across his. “You need me,” she murmured against his lips.

He reached up and cupped the back of her head, bringing her lips into stronger contact with his. “I always do.” He pulled back to look at her. “School is your priority, though.”

“So I’ll miss a week or so. I won’t get too far behind, especially once I call my advisor and let her know.” Tris smiled devilishly. “She’s originally from Manchester.”

Tobias tried one more time to be sensible. “Tris, I can look out for myself. It’s okay. Don’t feel like you have to choose between me and your studies.” Everything inside him was urging him to shut up, to let her stay with him, but he didn’t want to be selfish.

She frowned at him. He was lying and she could see it. “We said we’d be honest, remember?”

“I don’t want you staying just because you think I’m helpless,” he said impatiently. He took a deep breath to calm himself. His headache wasn't as bad as it had been yesterday, but it was there in the background making him want to scream with frustration. The rational part of him knew he wasn’t upset with her, so he choked down his feelings. “I want you here if you want to be here, but I don’t want to ask you to choose between me and school.”

“I’ve already chosen and there’s no contest. I’m staying with you.” She put her hand on his chest and stared deeply into his eyes. “In sickness and in health, right?” she asked, her voice gently teasing.

Tobias was surprised by her words, and wondered if she was actually serious. It was the first time she’d been the one to bring up anything even remotely connected to marriage. The subject hadn’t even been broached since their fight. Tobias figured they’d discuss it at some point in the future when Tris was ready. But there were no guarantees in life, and he realized that waiting until he knew she would say yes wasn’t fair to her. He had to be the one to put himself on the line and just ask her. He was never going to find another woman like her, and he wanted her to know that.

“Right,” he said softly, leaning forward to connect their lips again.

xXx

“Okay, Mr. Eaton, just lie down here.”

Tobias looked at the CT scanner with trepidation. The bench he was going to lie down on would slide inside the large, donut-shaped machine, entrapping his body. Just looking at it made his stomach churn, and his head throbbed in response.

“Um, I’m not really comfortable in tight spaces,” he admitted.

The tech just smiled and held up a small device. “This is a panic button. You can press it and it will slide the bench out if it gets to be too much. You aren’t going to go all the way in, just your head and upper shoulders. Other people with claustrophobia don’t seem to find it to be too bad, and it will be over fairly quickly, I can assure you.”

Tobias sighed. It wasn’t like he had much of a choice. He needed to do this to get back on the field. He climbed onto the bench and took a deep breath. As the tech pressed the panic button into his hand, he said kindly, “Just think of a happy place.” Protective headphones were fitted onto Tobias's ears, and then the tech left the room.

Tobias closed his eyes and let his mind wander. As he felt the bench move smoothly into the machine, he thought of waking up with Tris. He imagined a cozy Sunday morning with her head on his chest, her leg thrown over his. The rhythmic thumping of the machine faded into the background as he thought of them together in their bed. Those mornings were his favorites, snuggled up with her in the early morning light. He loved feeling her soft hair trail across his chest, the gentle rise and fall of her breathing. She was warm and cuddly in the morning, wanting to cling to sleep. Tobias wasn’t exactly a morning person, but as soon as he woke up, that was it: he was fully awake. Tris, on the other hand, would linger as long as she could. In his more playful moods, Tobias liked to wake her by running his lips along the shell of her ear, down the side of her neck to her collarbone. She would pretend to be asleep, but he knew better. He would feel her shudder beneath his hands and lips…

The bench suddenly moved and slid Tobias smoothly out of the machine. He opened his eyes in surprise. The tech entered the room and removed the headphones, helping him to sit up. “Not bad, right?”

Tobias shook his head and immediately regretted it. The dull headache spiked viciously for a moment before subsiding. “Yeah, that was fine.” He slid off the bench and took a moment to get his bearings.

“Dr. Singh will call you back in a minute. Why don’t you join your wife?”

Tobias didn’t correct the tech as he went out to join Tris in the waiting room. She looked up at him and smiled, pleased he'd been able to handle the confined space. For a moment, Tobias didn’t really breathe as his thoughts flashed back over the night's events and all the ways she'd been there for him. She had sat next to him on the tile floor of their bathroom and supported him while he vomited, and done what she could to comfort him. She’d curled her body around his as they lay in bed, holding him, cradling him as if he were the most precious thing in her life. She had showed him how much she loved and supported him by prioritizing his needs over her own.

He knew he loved her, with unwavering certainty, and it was time to do something about it.

Her smile faded into a look of concern as he just stared at her. “You okay?”

“Yeah.” He blinked a couple of times and dropped lightly into the seat next to her. “Sorry.”

She laced her fingers through his. “Did it go okay?”

“Yeah. Not the most pleasant experience I’ve ever had, but not the worst. It was over pretty quick.” He leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. The dull throb was still there in his temples. “My head hurts,” he murmured.

Tris leaned in and laid a gentle kiss on his temple, her hand caressing his cheek. “We’ll go straight home for a nap after this,” she promised. Tobias hummed his agreement, lost in thought.

xXx

Tris loved it whenever she got a chance to sit in the executive box at Old Trafford Stadium. She’d only done it a few times, but since Tobias wasn’t playing today, they’d both been invited to sit with Tori to watch the game. Tobias didn’t spend much time with them, preferring to sit on the sidelines with the rest of the team during the game and only joining the girls for halftime. Towards the end of the game, he came back up to the box. Kissing Tris on the cheek, he asked, “Can you hang here for a minute? Bud wants to have a quick team meeting.”

“Sure.” Tris smiled.

Tobias squeezed her hand, leaving her with Tori.

“Tobias seems to be doing well,” Tori observed.

Tris nodded, sipping her soda. “Yeah. It was a little rough at first, but he’s really felt much better these last couple of days. Poor guy is still a bit sore, but Dr. Keene cleared him to resume practices starting on Monday, so he’s thrilled.”

Tori laughed. “They just can’t sit still, can they?”

Tris chuckled in response. “Nope. I had to actually stop him from lifting weights, but I did let him sit on the exercise bike yesterday. He was going stir crazy, and it was either that or hit him on the head again.”

“Bud broke his ankle once. I seriously thought about beating him to death with his crutches.” Tori shifted and looked at Tris with a fond smile. “When do you go back to Oxford?”

“Monday. Tobias insisted.” She shrugged. “I wanted to stay longer, but he’s doing so much better. He's even been able to drive this week, so there’s no need for me to stick around.”

“You graduate in May, right?”

Tris nodded. “Yes.”

Tori looked down on the field as the crowd cheered. Time had run out and Manchester United had won. She and Tris stood and clapped, cheering as the teams jogged out on the field to shake hands with their opponents. They sat back down, and Tori turned to her. “You know, I have a few connections at the art gallery here,” Tori said casually. “I happened to hear that they are interested in hiring another art buyer.”

Tris’s head snapped around. “Really?” she asked, excited.

Tori’s grin widened. “I hope it's okay, but I gave them your name, and the curator said he would like to meet you.”

Tris gaped at her. “You’re kidding.”

Tori laughed and reached into her purse, pulling a business card out of her wallet and handing it to Tris. “The job isn’t advertised yet. One of their assistant buyers is planning on retiring at the end of next summer. I’ve known Harrison, the gallery's curator, for years, and we had lunch yesterday. I mentioned that I knew someone who might be willing to help out a couple of days a week to start. It isn’t a paid position, but if it works out, Harrison would be willing to hire you when you graduate. If you’re interested, of course.”

Tris grabbed the card. “Are you serious? Of course I’m interested!” She looked down at the card then back up at Tori. “I can’t believe it. I don’t know how to thank you.”

Tori laughed. “It’s not a guarantee, only an introduction. It’s up to you to seal the deal.”

Tris got up and hugged her. “You bet I will!”

It was close to an hour after the game ended when both Bud and Tobias came back to the box. They all left together, Tris excitedly discussing the potential job. Tobias was thrilled — the job prospect meant that Tris might definitely be staying in England after graduation.

 “I’ll see you Monday, Bud.”

Bud scowled. “Bright and early, Eaton. I’ve got to evaluate where you are as you’ve been sitting on your arse for the last week.”

Tobias smirked and tossed off a salute. “Sir, yes Sir!” he joked. Bud’s father had been in the Royal Navy, and the team often teased him for his militaristic coaching style.

Bud rolled his eyes. “Bloody git,” he mumbled. Tori snorted and tugged him in the opposite direction.

“So, any idea on when you’ll be able to meet with the museum guy?” Tobias asked as he buckled his seatbelt. Technically, Tobias was permitted to drive again, but Tris wasn’t taking any chances.

“Hopefully, as soon as possible. I will need to go back to Oxford to get recommendations, maybe see if any of my professors know someone who can put in a good word for me.” She glanced over at him as she slowed for a stoplight. “Are you sure you’ll be okay by yourself?”

Tobias brushed her hair off her shoulder, caressing her neck gently. “Yeah,” he said softly. “I’ll be fine.”

He smiled the rest of the way home; things were starting to fall into place just perfectly.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tobias is back to health and has a special surprise for Tris.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! So this isn't the last chapter after all....Tris and Tobias have a little more of their story to tell. Major thanks as usual to enj412 for moral support and the ever amazing BK2U for alpha and beta work. Hope you all enjoy this!

xXx

Tris tracked Tobias’s movements on the field carefully as he ran through practice drills with the team. She’d been nervous when Dr. Keene had given him the go-ahead to practice, especially since she’d had to go back to Oxford and hadn’t been with him during the week. He’d assured her he was fine, but she’d felt more comfortable after Dr. Keene told him to sit out one more game.

Tris took a deep breath as she watched him dodge another player and make a run at the goal. The goalkeeper blocked it, and she heard Bud blow his whistle to stop the play so he could go over something with them. Apparently, she’d worried for no good reason as Tobias seemed completely recovered from the concussion. Injuries were something she would have to learn to live with, but Tris was now much more confident that both she and Tobias could handle them without too much difficulty.

“So, how did it go?”

Tris looked up and smiled as Tori sat down on the chair next to her. Tris had come back to Manchester earlier than normal so she could make her Wednesday interview with Harrison Conners, the curator of the Manchester Art Gallery. Tris’s advisor at Oxford had happily excused her from class when she learned Tris would be interviewing for a permanent job at the gallery; in truth, she had been almost as excited about it as Tris herself. Even better, she also assured Tris that if she did get the job, her class schedule could be rearranged to accommodate her work hours.

Impulsively, Tris threw her arms around Tori and hugged her. “I got it! I’ll be shadowing the collection manager on Mondays and Fridays for about three hours each day. I also agreed to volunteer for a half day on either Saturdays or Sundays, depending on Tobias’s game schedule, so I can get a feel for everything that happens at the gallery. They'll most likely have me lead tours, so I'll really get to know the place. If all goes well, after I graduate in May they’ll hire me to work full time. Harrison’s going to clear it with the people at the Manchester City Council, but he doesn’t think that’ll be a problem.”

Tori hugged her back, ecstatic. “Congratulations, that's wonderful news!” She pulled back, looking Tris over and smiling widely. “You look gorgeous, by the way. I'm sure Harrison was putty in your hands.” Tris glanced down at her interview outfit, a navy blue fitted sheath dress, tailored blazer, and low wedge pumps, then smiled back at Tori. “Thank you, but if you hadn't put in a good word for me, I'm not so sure that Harrison would have even interviewed me.” Tori dismissed the notion with a wave of her hand, and inclined her head towards the field. "Does Tobias know yet?”

Tris shook her head. “No, I haven’t had the chance to tell him. I dropped him off here so I could take the car for my interview, and he’s been on the field since I got back.” Tris tilted her head to the side. “Come to think of it, what’re you doing here?”

“Oh, Bud’s car is in the shop so I’m playing taxi.” Tori replied with a smile.

“Tris!”

They both looked up to see that Bud had dismissed the team, and that Tobias was jogging over to the stands where they sat. “How’d it go?” he demanded.

“I got it!”

“Yes!” Tobias yelled. He grinned at Tris, genuinely happy. “I’ll kiss you after I get cleaned up. Hey, Tori, can you keep her busy?”

“No problem. Go, I’m sure you stink.” Tori winked at him. “We’ll meet you outside the locker room.”

“Okay, twenty minutes.” He jogged after the team.

Tori and Tris chatted for a few more minutes, then made their way to the hall outside the locker room. True to his word, Tobias came out about 20 minutes later, dressed in a dark grey cashmere sweater and black dress slacks. He immediately pulled Tris into his arms, kissing her as promised.

Behind him, Amar also emerged from the locker room. “Ugh, get a room,” he teased with a chuckle.

Tobias flipped him the middle finger, but let go of a blushing Tris. “She got the job,” he declared proudly.

“Oh, hey, that’s great!” Amar leaned in and dropped a kiss on Tris’s cheek. “Nice to know we’ll be seeing more of you.”

She smiled and nodded. “Yup. One more American ex-pat in Manchester.”

“And a lovely addition at that,” Amar replied flirtatiously.

Tobias rolled his eyes. “C’mon, Tris, there’s something I need to show you.” He linked their fingers. “Later, Amar.”

Amar gave them a smile and a wave. “Have fun.”

Tris glanced over at Tobias as they turned and walked away. “So, where are we going?”

He shot her a grin. “Just follow me,” he said cryptically. Tobias led her up the stairs and through the hallways until they reached the Red Café, the stadium’s restaurant. Tris glanced over at him in confusion. The restaurant usually closed at four during the week, but could be hired out for private parties after five. To Tris's surprise, the manager opened the door for them with a grin.

“There you are, Tobias! Everything's all set.”

“Thanks, Callum.” Tobias shook his hand and led Tris into the restaurant.

“What is this, Tobias?” she asked hesitantly. He led her over to an elegantly set table near the windows. Most of the tables had been pushed out of the way to create a sense of privacy, even though they were the only ones in the restaurant. The tables nearest theirs were alight with softly glowing candles. Their table was set for two, with a crisp white tablecloth, bone china, crystal flutes and a single red rose in a silver vase. Next to the table stood a silver ice bucket, a bottle of champagne chilling inside. The Red Café was normally a simple bar and grill, so Tobias had really gone to a lot of trouble to make the corner table seem like it belonged in an upscale restaurant.

“This,” he said, leading her to the table and pulling out her plush, padded chair, “Is a thank you.”

She sat, looking up at him in surprise. “What are you thanking me for?”

Tobias sat across from her and reached over to take her hand in his. “For everything you’ve done for me these last few weeks. For just being you.” He ran his thumb across the back of her hand. “It occurred to me that I haven’t exactly shown you recently how much you mean to me. I want to change that, to do something special for you. And with your successful interview today, now we can also make it a celebration in honor of your new job.”

Tris gave him a warm smile. “That’s really sweet.”

Tobias brought her hand to his lips. “I love you, Tris. I want to make sure you know that.”

“I do, Tobias. And I love you, too.”

With a smile, he pulled the champagne bottle from the ice bucket stand next to the table. He popped the cork and poured them both a glass, then tapped his glass to hers. “To us.”

“To us.”

Tris sipped her champagne and reached for one of the crusty pieces of French bread in the basket in front of her.  She spread herbed butter on it, then looked over at him, shaking her head lightly.  

“I can’t believe you did all this.”

Tobias flashed her a mischievous smile.  “Just wait.”

She looked up as Callum set salad plates down in front of each of them, replete with field greens, walnuts, figs, and goat cheese, with a sherry-walnut dressing. He bowed his head towards Tris as he said, “Please, enjoy your meal.”

She looked up at Tobias, her eyes widening in astonishment. “Tobias...”

He grinned and topped off her champagne. “Eat up,” he gestured towards her plate.

After they finished their salads, Callum returned with two champagne saucers. They savored the small scoops of cool lemon sorbet, cleansing their palates before the main meal. Tobias nodded to Callum when they were ready for their next course. He disappeared into the kitchen to retrieve their food, then presented them with plates of wild mushroom and truffle oil risotto, topped with pan seared scallops and accompanied by braised fresh asparagus. Tris took a taste of everything and moaned, loving how the flavors all complemented one another. Tobias laughed softly at the look on her face, delighted that she was so happy.

“How did you do all this?” she finally asked as they ate. The food in the Red Café was good, but this meal was amazing; it could have been right out of a gourmet restaurant.

 “Callum was willing to help me out, and he convinced Nileah, the chef here, to cook for us. She was thrilled to brush off her culinary school skills, or so she said.” He gestured with his chin and Tris turned around to see Nileah and Callum standing in the kitchen doorway. Both grinned and waved at them. Tris smiled and waved back as they ducked back into the kitchen.

“I owe her one. This meal is delicious.”

Tobias gave her a mysterious look. “She said we were paid in full. I just have to report back on our evening.”

“Please tell Nileah that everything was fabulous,” she enthused when Callum returned to their table, picking up their empty plates.

“I’ll be back with dessert,” he said.

Tris looked back at Tobias with wide eyes. “I’m going to burst out of this dress!” she groaned.

“We’ll take a walk after, I promise.”

Callum returned with individual portions of a flourless chocolate cake dusted with powdered sugar and decorated with raspberries. Tris’s resolve flew out of the window; she had no defense against chocolate cake, which Tobias well knew. She dipped her spoon into the warm cake, closing her eyes as the rich dark chocolate melted on her tongue. She sighed with pleasure and opened her eyes to a smirking Tobias. “You are so getting lucky tonight,” she purred.

“Then hurry up,” he said, taking a huge bite of cake. Tris laughed.

When they were done, Tobias stood, helping Tris out of her chair, and took her hand in his. He reached over and pulled the rose out of the vase, offering it to her with a grin. Callum strode into the room and led them to the door. “Have a wonderful evening,” he said, his lips twitching up in an amused smile. He gave Tobias a hearty pat on the back as they exited.

Tris expected they would turn towards the parking lot, but instead Tobias led her through the tunnels and onto the soccer field, the floodlights from the late afternoon practice still shining brightly. She stayed close to his side as they walked out onto the grass.

“Tobias, what are we doing here?”

“I’ve spent most of my life on fields like this.” He deflected her question, idly kicking at the surface of the pitch. “In many ways, this has been my only real home.”

Tris nodded. “You’re never happier than when you’re on the field,” she said warmly.

Tobias stopped walking and turned to face her. His fingers tightened on hers. “No,” he murmured, “I’m never happier than when I’m with you.”

Tris’s smile lit up her face. Tobias rarely said sweet things, it just wasn’t in his personality; when he did say them, it was truly heartwarming and she appreciated it all the more. Before Tris could reply, Tobias continued, “That's why I wanted to come here, where I’m comfortable. Someplace that feels like home. Speaking of home, there's something I want to show you.” He smiled, lifting his hand in a thumbs up, and several of the large television screens that ran along the pitch simultaneously illuminated with pictures of them: there they were, smiling in front of the Ferris wheel at the Navy Pier in Chicago, kissing on the London Eye Ferris wheel, and laughing at the Ferris wheel in the Tuileries Garden in Paris. Some of their favorite music played quietly in the background. A second later, more screens lit up and pictures of them throughout their years together began to flash by in quick succession. Tris turned all around, one hand over her mouth, absurdly touched by the large screen pictures of them looking so happy. She turned back to Tobias, tears shimmering in her eyes, to see him gazing at her with love and tenderness. Her breath caught in her throat as understanding slammed into her.

Her heart began to race when he released her hand and gracefully sank down onto one knee. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a black velvet box, opening it to reveal a stunning diamond engagement ring. Holding it up to her, he said, “Tris, being with you has made me happier than I ever thought I could be. When I am with _you_ I am truly home, and I want us to spend the rest of our lives together. I love you with all my heart. Will you marry me?”

Tris looked down at his handsome face, overwhelmed that he had bravely chosen to ask her despite his prior concerns, despite the fact that they hadn't talked about them yet. “Are you serious?” she asked, her voice a soft whisper.

His gaze never faltered despite his sudden nervousness. “Absolutely,” he replied with a reassuring smile.

She smiled back at him, then nodded her head. “Yes, Tobias, of course I'll marry you!”

He let out the breath he didn't even know he'd been holding, and slid the ring onto her shaking finger.

“I love you,” she breathed as he rose from his knee.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and hauled her against him, kissing her deeply. The stadium speakers suddenly came to life and they heard, “Looks like he scored!” One of the television screens replaced the pictures of them with bright red block letters spelling “SCORE!” on a black background. They broke apart, laughing as they heard clapping and cheering from Amar, Bud, Tori, Callum and Nileah, who were all clustered together at one of the entrances, watching them.

Keeping Tris anchored against him, Tobias raised an arm and waved at them. “Sorry. I needed some help setting all this up, and they must’ve stuck around to be nosy.”

Tris let out a snort. “I don’t blame them,” she teased. “How often do they see Tobias Eaton being romantic?” She brushed her lips across his and slid her left hand down to admire the large emerald cut diamond solitaire with channel set diamonds running along the band of the ring. “Tobias, it’s just beautiful. How long have you had this, and how did you get it to fit so perfectly?”

He shrugged lightly and replied, “I traced your class ring.” He rubbed the small of her back, and hesitated for just a moment. “As for how long I've had it... well... I bought it after I came home from Paris that first time.”

Her eyes snapped back up to his, incredulous. “Are you kidding?” That was nearly two years ago — he’d been sure for that long?

He let out a short laugh. “Nope.” He pushed her hair away from her face. “I’ve wanted to marry you since I was 19.”

She cupped his face in her hands. “You are incredible. I'm so lucky to have you.” She pushed up on her toes, kissing him again.

“Oi, hurry up you two! We’ve more champagne waiting!” Amar yelled from the tunnel entrance.

They shared one more hug before Tobias laced his fingers through hers and, kissing her hand, led her up the stairs to celebrate with their friends.

 


	9. London

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tris and Tobias are forced to endure Evelyn's London reception for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all! There's only one more chapter after this! I'm posting this today so I won't interfere with Milner's Make It Rain because, let's be honest, we are all completely obsessed with that story (and if you haven't read it, read it. It is a MUST). Beware, I have a dirty mind so there is smut herein....you've been warned! As always, major kudos to my alpha/beta wonder, BK2U. Happy Holidays!

xXx

Tobias fastened the onyx cufflinks on his dress shirt, wondering how much longer Tris would be. He reached for the slim black tie, tying it around his neck with a few quick movements, then smoothing down the collar of his shirt. As he reached for his watch, he sighed deeply. He’d never been overly fond of dressing up, and knowing that he and Tris were about to be paraded around for his mother’s benefit bothered him even more. At least they’d talked his mother out of making this stupid reception formal black tie.

He ran a comb through his hair, smoothing down the dark waves. It was longer than usual; he hadn’t cut it since the wedding three weeks ago, but Tris liked it so he’d just left it alone. He’d probably end up cutting it before the season started. Tobias reached for the dark jacket lying across the bed and shrugged into it.

Tris and Tobias had gotten married in Chicago at the Drake Hotel despite Evelyn's protests. They had made a brief visit to the States to see Tris's family after their engagement was announced, and Tobias had gone prepared. He had remembered what the event manager there had said to him and Tris on their previous visit, so he made sure to bring his checkbook with him, writing a rather large check to ensure that the Drake planning staff would handle everything for them and create the wedding of their dreams. The months since then had been a whirlwind, planning the entire affair long-distance. They’d returned to Chicago just a week after her graduation, and had spent the ten days before the wedding seeing to the last minute details. They’d even had impromptu bachelor and bachelorette parties thanks to their maid of honor, Christina, and best man, Zeke.

When Tobias first told Evelyn about their wedding plans, she had been furious, swearing that she never wanted to set foot in Chicago again, and that it would be much better for her if the wedding were in London. Tobias had flatly refused, not wanting to force Tris’s family and their friends to fly to another country, and not wanting to make his wedding about Evelyn rather than him and Tris. Evelyn, sticking to her guns, refused to attend the Chicago wedding.

If Tobias was being honest with himself, he was actually glad Evelyn had skipped the wedding. Tobias could hardly imagine what it would have been like to have to contend with Evelyn and her bitchy attitude amidst the rest of the chaos. It had been challenging enough to duck the media attention. Most of the team and the coaching staff had actually made the trip to Chicago to support Tobias and to be there as his surrogate family. Fortunately, the Drake was used to hosting VIPs, so they were able to arrange for enough security that the wedding wasn’t disturbed by paparazzi. Tobias had been relieved, but he suspected with some amusement that Christina might have been a little disappointed to learn that her picture wouldn't be appearing in some magazine. He had to admit she’d looked pretty spectacular in her form-fitting, deep red maid of honor gown. But for Tobias, nothing had come close to Tris. She’d looked absolutely radiant coming down the aisle towards him in a classic lace sheath gown with delicate pearl beading, Andrew and Natalie on either side of her.

The reception in the Drake's lavish French ballroom had been exactly as Tris had wanted, with outstanding food, entertainment, and plenty of alcohol. There had been such a celebratory atmosphere; everyone had been so happy and truly enjoyed themselves. Tris and Tobias had left for their honeymoon in Greece two days later, after giving themselves a day to recover from the wedding. They’d spent two full weeks travelling around Greece. Tobias had even taken her to Spetses, the small island where Evelyn’s mother grew up. After a few days there, they’d spent an entire week in Santorini, hiking the volcano, swimming in the hot water around the volcanic inlets and spending lots of time in their hotel room. It had been so peaceful, so romantic, that Tobias had been able to push the annoyance of his mother’s reception out of his mind.

Tonight's reception in London was a compromise in deference to Evelyn. Tris, not wanting to start off their marriage with a huge fight with her mother-in-law, had suggested they have a second reception in London after they got back from their honeymoon. Initially, Evelyn hadn’t wanted to agree, still pushing for the wedding to take place in London. But when Tobias had pointed out with finality that traditionally the wedding was held in the bride’s hometown, she’d realized she wasn't going to win and finally relented.  Seeing an opportunity in Tris's suggestion of a party in London, she had decided to turn the situation to her advantage.

Tobias knew that the reception wasn’t going to be about celebrating his marriage; it was Evelyn's chance to schmooze her business associates and social acquaintances. Tobias’s fame was a commodity for her, and he knew it. He caught himself scowling in the mirror and heaved a sigh. He’d promised Tris he’d make the best of it tonight. Buttoning his jacket, he strode out into the living room.

“Tris, are you almost ready?” he called.

“Yeah!” came her muffled reply. She was in the second bedroom with the hair and makeup artist Evelyn had sent to help her get ready. Feeling the need for a little liquid fortification, Tobias poured himself a generous shot of whiskey and tossed it back. He’d just put the glass back on the counter when the makeup artist exited the room. She shot him a smile. “Enjoy your evening, Mr. Eaton!”

He gave her a tight smile in return. The smile faded, however, when Tris came out of the bedroom. Tobias was pretty sure he stopped breathing in that moment.

Evelyn had insisted on providing a custom-made gown at her expense; Tris had chosen to create a sleeveless and nearly backless gown in shimmering pearl gray silk and chiffon. The dress had a band of beading at the waist, emphasizing the smallness of her figure, before flowing freely to the floor. The neckline was a deep vee, and resting just above the swell of her breasts was a platinum heart containing over two carats of prong-set round brilliant diamonds. The necklace, the diamond stud earrings in her ears, and the tennis bracelet on her wrist were all Tobias's wedding presents to her. Her honey-colored hair was pulled away from her face with a crystal clip and fell free in ringlets down her back. The smoky eye shadow made her gray eyes sparkle, and her glossy pink lips curved into a smile as she looked at him.

“Like it?” she asked, twirling a little, enjoying the look on his face.

“Wow.” He walked towards her and pulled her against him, dropping his head for a kiss. “You are the most beautiful woman,” he murmured.

Tris ran her hands along the lapels of his suit. “You look pretty amazing yourself,” she laughed. The dark gray suit was tailored for him and followed the strong lines of his body perfectly. He’d shaved the beard he’d let grow during their honeymoon in Greece, so Tris nuzzled his smooth cheek. She knew he wasn’t a huge fan of dressing up, but Tris loved him in a suit, especially this one, which she had chosen to complement her dress. Clothes draped on his body so well. Of course, she thought to herself, he looked better without any clothes at all.

He ran his lips along the shell of her ear, nuzzling the diamond stud earrings. “You sure we have to go to this thing? Technically, we’re still on our honeymoon. No one would fault us if we stayed in and stayed in bed.”

She twined her fingers in the hair along the back of his neck. “Don’t tempt me.” She brushed her lips across his. In response, Tobias pulled her close to him and instead of pushing him away, she melted into his kiss. He let his lips drift down her neck, one hand cupping her breast while the other drifted down to squeeze her bottom. “You sure you really want to go?” he asked, nibbling gently on the spot where her shoulder met her neck, careful not to leave a mark. “I can think of so many other things for us to do,” he whispered, the passion in this voice proving to be highly seductive.

Tris tilted her head to give him better access. His kisses along her neck were her weak spot, as he well knew, and he exploited it ruthlessly. She let her hands drift down as she pushed his jacket off his shoulders. “I’m willing to delay for a few minutes.” She reached down to cup him, her fingers squeezing lightly. He was hard and ready for her and she smiled, loving how quickly she could turn him on. “If you make it worth my while.” Tris’s voice was low and husky.

He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her deeply. Gasping, Tris pulled away. “We've got to be careful - we can’t afford to get all messed up,” she said sternly. “I can fix my lipstick, but not everything else, and we’ve still got to go to this reception. Can we use a condom?”

Grinning, Tobias nodded, then turned her around so she was facing the back of the couch. He bent to kiss her shoulders again, his hands cupping her breasts, squeezing her nipples through the draped layers of fabric covering them. “Oh, I think I can accommodate.” He let his hands slide down her sides and pulled her dress up to her waist, draping most of the silky fabric over the back of the couch. “Keep the shoes on, though,” he mumbled, eyeing the silver strappy high-heeled sandals.

Tris laughed a little, rubbing her ass against him before sliding her lacy scrap of underwear down her legs. She was glad she’d opted to skip body-shaping garments. She grinned at him over her shoulder as she braced herself against the couch.

“You gonna put your money where your mouth is?” she teased. Tobias groaned, and swiftly retrieved a condom from their luggage.

He announced his return by pressing himself up against her back, causing Tris to gasp and lean her head back against him. Tobias dropped his pants and boxers quickly, and rolled the condom onto his hard length. He returned his attention to Tris, his fingers massaging her hips before sliding around to explore her wet folds. “Mm. Don’t tease me, Tobias.”

He urged her legs open as he bent his knees to slide inside her. He groaned and she hitched herself up a little to accommodate him, bracing herself against the couch for leverage. “Better?” He asked, his voice a combination of lust and amusement.

Tris half-laughed, half-groaned in response as he began moving quickly inside her. Tobias’s arms wrapped around her waist and he buried his face in her neck. Tris’s moans urged him to move faster. They moved together, pushing each other closer and closer to the edge. Tobias felt himself ready to explode but he wanted Tris to come with him. He reached down, rubbing her clit in quick circles. She whimpered and he couldn’t hold on, his hips stuttering against hers as he climaxed. He didn’t stop his busy fingers, and she came right after him.

Tobias kept his arm anchored firmly around her waist, holding her tightly to him. He dropped his head, kissing her shoulder again. “Seriously, we should ditch this thing.” He wanted nothing more than to just pull their clothes off, crawl back into bed and just hold his wife.

She laughed and pushed back so she could slide out from between him and the couch. “Nope, no deal.” She reached down and grabbed her underwear. “Go get cleaned up.” She ordered, heading toward the second bedroom. Tobias sighed and reached down, removing the condom and pulling up his pants as he headed to their bathroom. Minutes later, he joined her back in the suite’s living room.

She’d touched up her lipstick and there was a satisfied twinkle in her eyes, but otherwise, no one would be able to tell they’d made love. She laced their fingers together. “Come on, the sooner we get down there, the sooner we can get back.”

xXx

It wasn’t quite as bad as he’d expected, Tobias mused, as he and Tris made their way through the crowd, greeting people. Some were people he’d met before, people he’d known from his mother’s company or from his time in London as a teenager. There were others — business people, socialites, members of Parliament — that he hadn’t met, but everyone knew who he was and wished them well. The only problem Tobias could see was that the food was paltry and he was starving.

“When we get back to the room, can we order a pizza?” he whispered in Tris’s ear so that he wouldn’t offend the waiter circling with a tray. He popped a shrimp puff in his mouth, wishing they’d gone to dinner before this.

Tris laughed lightly. “Well, we could have eaten before this like I suggested this afternoon, but instead we fooled around,” she teased.

He snorted. “Like I was going to turn down sex with you.”

Tris started to reply, then stiffened. Tobias frowned at her sudden change in attitude and followed his wife’s gaze. “Son of a bitch!” he hissed.

Tris squeezed his hand to remind him they were in public. Tobias gritted his teeth. Coming right for them, her lips curved into a smirk, was Nita Carias.

“I had no idea she was invited,” he whispered urgently. “I swear, Tris…”

She wound her arm through his. “Don’t worry about it, Tobias. I know you didn’t.” By now, Tris had relaxed and Tobias began to get nervous about the gleam in her eyes.

“Tobias, darling, so good to see you,” Nita gushed as she approached. A couple of people turned to glance at them but looked away quickly, trying to not be caught staring. Her strapless purple gown was molded to her body, with a front slit that showed nearly every inch of her long legs. Tobias idly wondered if she’d ever been fully dressed in her life. She started to move towards him as if to lean in and kiss him. Tobias didn’t move and neither did Tris.

“Nita, I didn’t realize you were invited,” he said through clenched teeth.

She laughed lightly. “Oh, Father and I would not have missed this.” She gestured vaguely to her right. Tobias looked up to see his mother and stepfather in deep conversation with a distinguished-looking man he guessed was Deputy Finance Minister Alberto Carias, Nita's father.

“Have you met my wife, Tris?” he asked, his dark blue eyes glittering with anger.

Nita glanced over at Tris. “Oh, yes. Hello,” she said dismissively.

Tris nearly laughed at the other woman’s obviousness. “Nita. Nice you meet you. I must say, you are exactly what I expected you'd be.”

Nita shot Tris a sharp glance. “Well, I must say, I was surprised to hear of your marriage.” She stared obviously at Tris’s stomach. “It seemed so…sudden.”

Tobias opened his mouth, furious at the implication but Tris just squeezed his bicep. “Not at all. Tobias and I have been together for six years. Everyone important to us already knew where we were headed.” She smiled up at Tobias. “People have been asking for years when we were just going to go ahead and take the plunge already.” Tris laughed lightly.

Tobias smiled down at her, the teasing light in her eyes helping him to relax. “Better late than never.” He bent his head to brush his lips across hers.

“Why don’t we get more champagne?” she murmured against his lips, purposely ignoring Nita.

“Absolutely. Bye, Nita.” Tobias led Tris over to the bar, leaving a frowning Nita behind. He slid his arms around her and pulled her close to him. “I’m so sorry, Tris.”

“What do you have to be sorry for?” she asked, amused. “You didn’t even want your mom to do this for us.”

He squeezed her waist. “Yeah, but still.” He looked over her shoulder at his mother. “I’m going to go talk to her.”

Tris started to object but then saw Nita heading towards the bathroom. This was her opportunity. “Go on, I’m going to freshen up.”

“Okay.” Tobias let her go and headed over to his mother. “Mother, let’s dance,” he said, cutting her off from the gentleman with whom she had been talking. His stepfather and Nita’s father had moved away to the buffet.

She frowned slightly, but took his extended hand. “Of course, son.” Tobias led her to the dance floor and pulled her close. It was the only way he felt he could be sure they could talk without being overheard.

“I can’t believe you invited Nita Carias,” he growled in a low tone.

“I don’t see why that’s a problem,” Evelyn said smoothly.

“You know why it’s a problem. You saw that damned article.”

Evelyn rolled her eyes. She had indeed seen the article, and it had given her an idea. Nita Carias, with her publicity and international connections, not to mention her family’s money, was much more the type of woman she’d prefer for her son to marry. “Really, Tobias, you’re overreacting. Her father is an important business contact. Cultivating the Brazilian market…”

“I absolutely could not give a shit.”

“Tobias! Language!” Evelyn’s smile faltered for just a moment before she firmly planted it back on her face, ever conscious of the people around her.

He stared at his mother. “You’re fucking kidding, right? You invited that woman, who nearly caused me to lose Tris, to our wedding reception, and you tell me I’m overreacting?”

“Yes,” she said firmly. “I invited Nita because having her and her father here is advantageous to me.”

Tobias laughed without humor. “You? This was supposed to be about me and Tris, last I checked.”

Evelyn shrugged. Her indifference, combined with the fake smile plastered on her face, was beginning to annoy Tobias. “What is good for me is good for you. When you are finally ready to take your place in the company, you’ll thank me for ensuring your position in society.”

Tobias’s head began to throb. “Evelyn, give it up. I’m not joining the company. I’m not moving to London. And I don’t care about any of your society crap.”

“You will,” she said confidently.

Tobias’s control over his temper was beginning to fray, so he took a deep breath. Getting into an argument with Evelyn about his career was not the point. “Whatever. Bottom line is that you invited someone whose presence was sure to hurt my wife. That is unacceptable.”

Evelyn rolled her eyes again, her fake smile dimming. “I certainly don’t see why Nita’s presence is of any consequence to Beatrice.” Evelyn’s smile turned sly. “Unless things are already shaky in your marriage.”

Tobias stared at his mother for a moment, her lovely features turning ugly to him. “Spit it out, Mother. You’ve been hinting around since we got engaged. Just say what you mean.”

Evelyn’s lips pinched together. “Frankly, Tobias, this whole marriage is a mistake. I believe that Nita would be a much better match for you, more than Beatrice could ever be. I realize it is slightly too late now, but soon you’ll see I’m right. If you’re very lucky, Nita will still be available when you finally get rid of that girl.”

Tobias stopped dancing. He felt an icy calm descend over him. Evelyn had finally pushed him beyond the white hot fury of his temper and into a much deeper and much colder place. “Let’s get this straight right now, Evelyn. Tris is my wife, and you will respect her or we will cut you out of our life and never see you again.”

“You’re not serious,” she scoffed.

Tobias leveled an icy glare at his mother. “I haven’t spoken to Marcus in six years. What do you think?” They stared at each other, not moving, brown eyes clashing with blue. Tobias saw he’d gotten his point across when Evelyn’s golden skin paled. He turned on his heel and strode towards the bathroom, determined to leave with Tris.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evelyn throws a party to celebrate Tris and Tobias's marriage but all does not go well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N:  Well, here it is…the final chapter.  I want to thank everyone for sticking with me through this story.  I didn’t intend it to be as long as it is but well, you know what they say about the best laid plans!  Much thanks to my alpha/beta combo, BK2U, without whom this story would not have been possible.  I hope y’all like this and I may be back!

xXx

When Nita pushed open the wooden door to the bathroom stall, Tris was at the sink, pretending to fiddle with her hair. Nita stood next to her and washed her hands. On the counter were some bottles of moisturizing lotion, and she squirted a bit onto her hands and rubbed them together. She caught Tris’s eye in the mirror and they stared at each other for a long moment.

Tris smiled at her widely, with just a touch of a sneer. “Oh, by the way, Nita, I don’t think I’ve ever gotten a chance to thank you.”

Nita folded her arms under her breasts. “What are you talking about?”

“That salacious magazine article. It was the thing that brought me and Tobias even closer, and ultimately prompted us to get married,” Tris said sweetly, enjoying the way Nita’s eyes narrowed. Nita then took a deep breath and smiled.

“Enjoyed it, did he?” she drawled. She ran a hand across her hip, smoothing the dress. “It was one of my most popular spreads.”

“Oh no, not at all,” Tris said, honestly. “It actually pissed him off. He doesn’t like cheap, obvious women who throw themselves at him.”

Nita started to take a step towards Tris. Tris merely stood her ground, staring at her. After everything she and Tobias had gone through, if there was one thing Tris was sure of, it was Tobias’s love for her. There was no reason to be concerned about the woman in front of her. Tris raised her left hand, and smoothing back a piece of hair, ensured that the light hit the huge emerald cut diamond with its matching diamond encrusted wedding band. She knew it had worked when Nita’s eyes flicked to her hand. She smirked.

Nita sniffed, annoyed that Tris saw her look at the rings. “You’ll never last. You will never understand what it’s like to be as famous as we are.” She looked Tris up and down with disdain. “I’ve seen it all before. Marry the sweetheart who knew you way back when, but get divorced before a year is out. Then, find one of your own kind.” She smiled at Tris. “And I am one of his kind.”

Tris stared at Nita for a moment before breaking into laugher. “You honestly believe that, don’t you?” Tris shook her head. “That’s really too bad for you, Nita, because that’s just not going to happen. Tobias wouldn't choose you if he had a gun to his head. You are most definitely not his kind...not at all.” Tris brushed past her. “If you’ll excuse me, I should find my husband. I _am_ on my honeymoon.” She stepped out into the hallway, feeling as though she’d certainly gotten the better of the exchange. Her eyes swept the ballroom, looking for Tobias. Her face fell when she saw him coming towards her, his expression murderous. “Hey,” she said when he reached her side, “what’s wrong?”

“Come on, it's time to get the hell out of here,” he said tersely, his anger barely contained. She nodded and he led her out of the room and to the elevators, his hand at the small of her back. Tris studied her husband, knowing there was something seriously wrong. They weren’t alone in the elevator, so she kept quiet until the door to their room was safely shut behind them. Tris turned to him, placing her hands on his chest. “What’s wrong?” she repeated.

Now that they were in the dark quiet of their hotel room, Tobias could feel the anger and tension draining from him. He leaned down and hugged her tightly, drinking in the calm feeling she gave him. “Not tonight,” he said quietly. "Please."

“Okay.” Tris pulled back and reached up to brush her lips across his. Tobias’s arms pulled her close again as he deepened the kiss. “I have a surprise for you,” she whispered, hoping to lighten his mood.

“Really?”

“Mm-hm.” She snaked her hand up around his neck. “I picked it up when I went shopping.”

Tobias pressed himself against her. “Oh, yeah?” His voice had gone husky with arousal.

“Yeah. Why don’t we…” Tris broke off as the phone rang. Tobias groaned, figuring his mother had finally noticed their absence. Tris brushed her lips against his. “Go take care of that. I’ll meet you in the bedroom.” She walked back to the darkened room, pausing to pick up the small bag she’d left inside the closet. In the bathroom, she undressed quickly, hanging the dress up on a cushioned hanger on the back of the door. She pulled her hair down, combing it out with her fingers and wiped the makeup off with her cleansing cloths. A slow smile curved her face as she dressed in the barely there wisp of chiffon and Chantilly lace. Debating with herself for a moment, she decided against the lace briefs that went along with the baby doll nightgown. She didn’t figure she’d be wearing them long in any event. She dropped them back in the bag and smoothed the nightgown down. The white triangular scraps of Chantilly lace barely covered her breasts and ended in a silky empire waist. Nearly transparent chiffon and lace flowed down to the middle of her thighs. She turned to the side, studying herself in the mirror. The nightgown revealed as much as it covered and her lips curved into a smile.

She opened the door to the bedroom, drinking in the sight of her husband. His socks and shoes were off and he’d discarded his jacket and tie. His white shirt was open, revealing his muscular chest. He looked her up and down, desire evident in his expression. “Jesus,” he muttered.

Tris smirked and crossed the room to him, her hips swaying. “So, you like my little surprise?” She grasped his shirt and pushed it off his shoulders, her fingers trailing down to trace the ridges of his abdomen.

In reply, Tobias pulled her against him, his lips descending to claim hers in a searing kiss. Tris groaned against him, her fingers digging into his biceps as he walked her back to the bed. Tris broke the kiss when she felt the back of her legs hit the edge of the bed. She sank down, looking up at him seductively through her lashes. “Lose the pants, Mr. Eaton,” she purred, leaning back on her elbows. “Slowly.”

His eyes locked with hers as he slowly reached for his pants. He unbuttoned them, lowering the zipper to reveal the boxer briefs hugging his muscular thighs. Tobias let the pants drop to the floor, kicking them out of the way. Tris licked her lips, eyeing the bulge in his briefs. She nodded slightly. “Keep going,” she said, her voice failing to conceal her excitement. Grinning at her, he reached for the waistband and lowered them to the floor. He kicked them out of the way, too, and reveled in the mix of love and lust he could read on her face. “Something I can do for you, Mrs. Eaton?” he asked with a smirk.

Raising her hand, she crooked her finger at him, beckoning him to her. Tris scooted back further on the bed, Tobias coming down on top of her. He kissed her slowly, their tongues languidly entwining. Tobias  lifted his head after several long moments. He ran his hand across her lace-covered breast. “Where did you get this?” he asked.

Tris laughed a little, running her hands along his shoulders. “Just a little something I picked up at La Perla. Do you approve?”

“It’s fucking sinful,” he retorted with a growl, his fingers teasing her nipple through the lace. Tris arched her back, pushing her breast further into his hand. He bent his head, suckling her. Tris groaned, her fingers tugging on his hair. Tris reared up, pushing on his shoulder, reversing their position. She straddled him, trailing her nails down his chest. She leaned over him, licking his lips with the tip of her tongue. Before he could respond, Tris trailed her lips down his neck. She worked her way down, nibbling on his collarbone, swirling her tongue around his nipples, kissing her way across his stomach. His hands fisted in the sheets next to him as she teased him. She finally reached his cock, and taking it firmly in her hand, swirled her tongue around the tip. At his deep groan, she looked up at him and met his eyes. She smiled and took him in her mouth.

She worshipped him, speeding up then slowing down, his moans music to her ears. She pumped his shaft with one hand and fondled his balls with the other. Tobias gasped, his hands tangling in her hair, holding it out of the way so he could occasionally watch her. The combination of her hands and mouth were going to be the end of him. He closed his eyes, dropping his head back, using every ounce of energy he had to hold back.

When Tris felt his balls tighten, she released him, straddling him again and lowering herself onto him. She let out a moan, letting her head fall back, loving how he stretched her. Tobias twined his hands with hers, steadying her as she began moving over him. Tris raised and lowered herself, her hips undulating sensuously. Wanting to please her, Tobias released her hands and grasped the material at her hips. Together, they lifted the nightgown off her and Tobias tossed it off the bed. He sat up, pressing their chests together as he kissed her. Tobias lifted his hips to meet her downward thrusts. Their lips clung together, breathing each other’s air as they moved. Tobias held her hips as she rocked up and down his shaft. “Oh God, Tobias,” she moaned, her head falling back. Tobias traced her neck with his lips as he felt Tris began to shake around him. Knowing she was close to the edge, Tobias moved swiftly, flipping her onto her back. He bent his head and pulled her nipple into his mouth. He nibbled, licked, and sucked one, then the other. Tris’s legs were wrapped tightly around his waist, her hips lifting in time with his. She was close, so close, she just needed a little bit more…

Tobias shifted his weight onto one arm, his other hand sliding down her body to circle where they were joined. He moved his fingers in counterpoint to his thrusts and it wasn’t long before Tris let out a long moan, her nails biting into his shoulders as she lost herself to her orgasm. Tobias was right behind her, the strong squeeze of her muscles tipping him over the edge. Tobias grunted with the pleasure rippling down his spine. They collapsed together, both struggling for air. Eventually, Tobias withdrew from her and flopped onto his back, pulling Tris against his chest. They lay on the rumpled sheets, catching their breath, snuggled together.

Tris lifted her head and slid up slightly so she could kiss him. “Is it possible that we keep getting better at that?” she asked.

He laughed a little breathlessly. “It’s not only possible, it’s definitely happening.” He brushed her hair away from her face. “I’m sorry we went to that stupid party,” he said.

Tris shrugged. “You do that kind of thing for family.”

Tobias shook his head. “She’s not my family. Not anymore. You are.”

Tris ran her fingers through his hair. “You want to tell me what happened?” she asked gently.

He shook his head. “No, I just want to be here with you. We can deal with everything else later.”

She smiled and kissed him softly. Evelyn and her ridiculous plans didn’t matter anymore, he decided. He’d chosen the life he wanted; it was right here in his arms, and always would be.

xXx

Tris gratefully dropped onto the edge of their bed. It had been over a month since they’d left Manchester for the wedding, and she was ridiculously excited to be home. As busy as they had been, Tris didn’t think either she or Tobias had ever been happier. Tris was looking forward to beginning this next stage in their lives. She had another week before she started her new job at the gallery, and she knew Tobias would have to start training soon for the upcoming season. She looked over at the couple of bags she’d brought upstairs with her. She really should get started on unpacking and sorting laundry. Tobias would bring up their larger suitcase after he dismissed the driver of the private limo they’d taken home.

He still hadn’t told her what had happened to upset him so badly the night before. She knew it had to be something Evelyn had done, especially since they’d had breakfast alone in their room rather than with Evelyn and Tobias’s stepfather. Now that they were home, she hoped he’d finally be ready to tell her.

Tobias wheeled the large suitcase into the room and then dropped onto the bed next to her, flopping on his back. He closed his eyes and moaned. “Oh God, it’s good to be home.”

Tris turned, tucking her legs under her on the bed so she was facing him. “I was just thinking the same thing,” she said. She studied him, noting the faint circles under his eyes. He hadn’t slept well the previous night and had been unusually quiet all day today.

“I don’t think I’m up for going out tonight, so how about we order in? That Indian place will deliver here. We’ll do the grocery thing tomorrow.”

“Okay,” she said softly.

He opened his eyes and looked over at her. She was studying him with a concerned expression. “What’s up?” he asked.

Tris reached out and toyed with the wedding ring on his finger. “That’s my question. I left it alone last night, but I really want to know what happened. If we don’t talk about it, you’ll brood all night.”

Tobias was silent for a moment, gathering his thoughts. Tris waited patiently, knowing he was working out the best way to tell her. “My mother invited Nita on purpose,” he said finally.

Tris nodded. “I’m not surprised.” She paused for a moment, considering. “She probably thinks Nita is a better fit for you.”

He looked at her in surprise. “Yeah. How’d you guess?”

Tris laughed a little and stretched out next to him. She propped her head up on her hand. “Nita is beautiful, rich, and connected to an important government official. I don’t think she could have created a better wife for you.”

Tobias rolled on his side so he was facing Tris. A frown marred his handsome face. “Then she has no idea who I am.” He shook his head. “She has this idea that I’ll quit the team and come join her company.”

Tris’s lips curved into a smile. “After you ditch me, right?”

He sighed heavily. “Right. She’s fucking nuts. Like I’m going to throw away everything I’ve worked for. Like I’m going to turn my back on the love of my life.” As Tris had slept peacefully beside him the previous night, he’d given Evelyn a lot of thought. He didn’t want or need anything from her. Tris loved him. Her family had taken him in as one of their own. He had his own friends, a career he loved, and had no need for her money. By the time morning rolled around, Tobias was content in his decision to cut Evelyn out of his life. “This is it, Tris. I’m done.”

She nodded, reaching out to gently caress his cheek. “I know. But it doesn’t matter anymore. She’s in London and we’re here. It’ll be months before we have to deal with her again.”

Tobias reached up and covered her hand with his. “No, you don’t understand. I’m completely done. That limo ride was the last thing I’m ever taking from her. I told her last night.”

Tris stared at him incredulously. “But, Tobias, she’s your mother. You can’t just cut her off.”

“Sure I can.” He squeezed her hand. “I told you last night. She’s not my family. You are. I won’t tolerate her disrespecting you or interfering in our lives. She can’t stop herself, so that’s it.”

Tris sat up and shook her head. “No. I don’t want you to lose your only other parent for me. I can put up with her shit. I know you love me, so she doesn’t matter.”

“I don't want you to have to put up with her shit.” He tugged on her hand, pulling her against him. “You’re mine and I’ll protect what’s mine,” he teased. Tris rolled her eyes at his words, knowing he was kidding, and he smiled. “Seriously, though, it’s not just for you, it’s for me too. I don’t owe her a damned thing, and she won’t change. She’s like fucking Marcus in a dress.”

Tris let out a bark of laughter at the image. She hugged him tightly to her. “I just don’t want you to give up anything.”

Tobias ran his hand across her hair. “I’m not. I've thought about it, and I know this is the right thing for you and me both.” He pushed her away just far enough to stare into her eyes. He tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “You and me, Tris. That’s all I’ve ever really wanted.”

She kissed him fiercely. “You and me,” she vowed. “Not to be cheesy, but forever,” she said with a laugh and a wink. She snuggled into him, hugging him tightly, his chuckle echoing in her ears.

“Forever,” he agreed with a contented sigh. He pushed all thoughts other than Tris out of his head and lost himself in her embrace. Forever sounded perfect to him.

 


	11. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tris finds herself at a career crossroads.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was asked by a few friends to write an epilogue for our favorite couple so here it is! All praise goes to BK2U who, once again, took raw clay and molded it into art. I, of course, own nothing and just play with these characters for fun.

Tobias stood on the sideline, his eyes narrowed as he concentrated on the small figures in front of him. At this age there was infinitely more enthusiasm than skill, but to Tobias’s biased eyes, his Annabelle was clearly the most talented kid on the field. She ran at full speed, her face scrunched in concentration, her dark blue eyes glued to the ball. The ball was rolling in front of her when a player from another team suddenly darted in and changed the direction of the ball. Tobias grinned at the look of outrage on his little girl’s face.

Annabelle changed direction, running after the ball. There was no real semblance of defense, so the ball changed direction at the whim of the enthusiastic four-year-olds. The other team got close to the goal but missed. Annabelle’s team got the ball back, and they started running in the other direction. There was a moment when the other team seemed to gain control and turned the ball the other way.

Tobias yelled out when his girl managed to get the ball back. He could see her intense concentration as she tried valiantly to guide the ball down the field. She was faster than a lot of the other girls, so soon she had a good lead over the rest of them. As she got close to the goal, Tobias felt his excitement rise. The little girl playing goalie was just standing there, paying attention to her pink arm pads and not the game. Annabelle kicked out her foot and the ball stuttered into the net.

Tobias threw his arms up with a yell. He and the other parents on the sideline congratulated each other as the girls surrounded Annabelle, laughing and hugging her. The referee blew his whistle, signaling the end of the game. The coach called the giggling girls back to their side. Water was passed around and the girls drank between their cheers. It took a minute for the coach to break through the excitement. She talked to them briefly before letting them go.

As Annabelle ran towards him, Tobias felt the grin on his face grow impossibly wider. Sometimes he could not believe this little person was his daughter, and that she actually seemed to adore him. He’d been terrified when Tris had announced she was pregnant, but her enthusiasm, her absolute confidence in him, helped ease his fears. By the time Annabelle was born, Tobias had been excited, and when he held her for the first time he couldn’t remember why he’d ever been worried. His love for her had been immediate and overwhelming. He bent down to swoop Annabelle into his arms.

“Didja see me, Daddy? I made the goal!” she said proudly.

“Sure did, baby girl!” he said, hugging her tightly. “You did great.”

“Coach said she was proud of us. We did good!” Annabelle wound her arms around her father’s neck as he carried her to the car. “Can I get dessert since we won?”

Tobias laughed softly. “Sure thing. Ice cream?”

Annabelle’s eyes — his eyes — lit up. “Chocolate with chocolate sprinkles?”

Tobias laughed again. She was exactly like her mom, a complete sucker for anything chocolate. “You know it.” He got her buckled into her booster seat in the back of the car, then got in himself. As he drove home, Annabelle kept up a constant chatter in the background.

“Daddy?”

“Yeah?”

“When will Mommy come back home?”

“She’ll be back the day after tomorrow,” Tobias replied. Tris had gone to Chicago to help take care of her mom. Natalie needed her gallbladder removed, so Tris and Caleb had each taken a week to help while Andrew was at work.

“I hope Grandma feels better. I miss Mommy.”

Tobias smiled. “I do too, baby,” he murmured. He and Tris didn’t often spend a long time apart, and he found he missed her intensely. Despite that, he was enjoying his first real stint at being a daddy all by himself. There were a few snafus — Tobias found he really, really sucked at braiding hair — but all in all, he and Annabelle were doing okay on their own.

As they pulled up to their house, Tobias noticed that their housekeeper, Helen, must have left already since her car was gone. He got Annabelle out of his car and she ran ahead to the front door. She might have a ton of energy now, but Tobias knew she’d drop like a rock after dinner. He opened the door to the scent of Helen’s creamy chicken and dumpling stew. A smile crossed his face. Tris had given Helen her grandmother’s recipe, and he'd be damned if Helen didn’t make it every bit as good as Grandma Prior. Since Tris had left, Helen had been cooking some of her favorite recipes to help Annabelle feel closer to her mom.

Glancing at the time, he saw that they had about three hours until Tris called. He hustled Annabelle upstairs and got her into the bath. He let her splash him with her bath toys and gleefully draw on the tub with her bath-safe crayons. Once she was out of the tub, he combed out her hair, got her dressed in pajamas, and plopped her down in front of the TV with a DVD and her favorite teddy bear. He straightened up the bathroom, amazed at how such a little girl could make such a big mess. He changed his own wet clothes to the sounds of Annabelle singing along with Mary Poppins.

Once the movie was over, they headed downstairs to the kitchen. Annabelle sat at the kitchen table coloring and chattering excitedly about her game. Tobias reheated Helen’s rolls and turned to his daughter. “Okay, Anna, which bowl: Kung Fu Panda or Frozen?” He held a plastic bowl in each hand.

Annabelle looked up and studied each for a moment, her expression serious. “Panda,” she said after a moment. Tobias nodded and ladled stew into the bowl.

“Put your coloring away so we can eat,” he said. Behind him he heard the patter of Annabelle’s feet as she ran, as usual, to put her coloring book and crayons on the bookshelf. She came running back and after Tobias set the bowl down, he boosted her into her seat.

He poured glasses of water for them, carrying them over to the table. He sat next to his daughter. “Okay, there you go. If you eat it all, then you can have ice cream.”

The idea of ice cream perked her right up, and they finished their dinner with Annabelle still chattering away. Tobias sometimes joked with Tris that somehow, Christina had managed to influence their daughter even when they lived an ocean away. Tobias set up his laptop while they ate their ice cream, waiting for Tris’s call. They’d just finished when it chirped. Tobias connected, and Tris’s face filled the screen.

“Hi, Tobias!” Tris said cheerfully.

“Hey, Tris!” he responded. He lifted Annabelle so she sat on his lap.

“Hi, baby!” Tris said.

“Mommy!” Annabelle waved at the screen. “Hi, Mommy! I miss you.”

“Aw, I miss you too, honey, but I’ll be home in just a couple of days.”

“Mommy, I won the football game!” Tobias stood, setting Annabelle on the chair so she could talk to her mother. He loved that Tris and Annabelle took such delight in each other. Tris had adjusted to motherhood like a pro. He was still a work in progress, but so far so good, he thought. He busied himself with loading the dirty dishes into the dishwasher and putting away the leftovers while they talked. When he finished, he turned to look at Annabelle. She might have his eyes and dark hair, but her features were all Tris's.

“Okay, baby, can I talk to Daddy for a minute? I love you and I’ll see you soon.”

“Okay, see you soon, Mommy!” Annabelle blew kisses at the screen and ran over to the small lounge where she pulled out her Legos. Tobias took her place at the table, smiling at his wife.

“Hey. How’s your mom?”

“Doing well. It’s been a challenge to get her to rest since she’s feeling much better.” Tris rolled her eyes. “She’s so damned stubborn.”

Tobias cleared his throat, resisting the urge to mention that Tris was exactly like her. Instead, he focused on the slightly drawn expression on her face. “How are you? You look tired.”

Tris smiled. “Just a bit. Mom and I were running errands today. I let her drive for a while. She was thrilled.” They laughed together. “You got the itinerary I sent?”

Tobias nodded. “Yeah, we’ll be there to pick you up.” He glanced over his shoulder to see where his daughter was, and lowered his voice. “I can’t wait to get you back. You know I don’t sleep as well without you.”

Tris’s lips curved in a smile. “I miss sleeping with you, too. I miss feeling you behind me.”

“I miss being behind you, too,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

Tris laughed. “I’m getting off the phone now.” Her voice gentled. “I love you.”

He smiled in return. “I love you, too. See you Monday.”

xXx

Tris tucked the blanket around her now-sleeping daughter. She brushed a bit of Annabelle’s soft, dark hair off her cheek, smiling warmly. After planting another kiss on her forehead, Tris straightened and carefully backed out of the bedroom, closing the door gently. It had taken two games of Candyland, a bath, and three Dr. Seuss books before Annabelle had finally calmed down enough to sleep. The excitement of the trip to the airport and having her mother home after ten days away combined to spin Annabelle up into a frenzy of energy. Tris didn’t mind, actually. This trip had been the longest amount of time Tris had ever spent away from her daughter, and she had missed her fiercely.

She tiptoed down the stairs, hoping to spend an uninterrupted night alone with her husband. As she passed the living room, she saw two glasses and an open bottle of wine on the end table. She smiled and continued into the kitchen. Tobias was just starting the dishwasher when she slipped her arms around him from the back. She kissed him between his shoulder blades. “I missed you,” she murmured.

He turned around and wrapped his arms around her. “I’m so glad you’re home,” he whispered into her hair.

She looked up at him and drew his head down to hers for a kiss. “Well, the place is still standing and Annabelle looks none the worse for wear,” she teased.

He sighed. “I do have a confession,” he admitted. Tris raised her eyebrows. “I really, really suck at braiding hair.”

Tris laughed. “We can work on that. I noticed you had wine open in the living room.”

“Yeah.” He pulled away reluctantly, running his hands down her arms. He laced their fingers together and led her to the living room. He poured them each a glass, and Tris curled up next to him.

Tobias’s fingers tangled into her hair as they sat together peacefully. Tris cupped the wineglass in her hands, staring at it. After a moment, he inquired gently, “You going to tell me what’s on your mind?”

She looked up at him. “You can tell, huh?”

Tobias laughed softly. “Of course I can.”

Tris pushed up and looked at him. “Do you remember my art history advisor at Northwestern, Johanna Baker?”

“Yeah, vaguely. Brown hair, hippie type, right?”

Tris snorted. “Yeah, that’s her. Well, we had dinner while I was there. It turns out that her husband works at the Art Institute of Chicago. There’s a position available there that she thinks I’d be good for.”

“What’s the job?”

Tris shifted nervously. “Director of Corporate Outreach.”

“Wow.” Tobias whistled. “Sounds like a pretty high-powered position.”

Tris nodded. “I guess my name’s gotten around since I’ve been working corporate accounts here in Manchester. I’m surprised, though. England isn’t the U.S.”

“Tris, you’re terrific at your job. It’s why Harrison had you working it,” Tobias said loyally. He watched her carefully. “You interviewed, didn’t you?”

“Not really, but Michael, Johanna’s husband, joined us for dinner to talk to me about it.”

“So what happened?”

Tris put the glass down on the end table. Tobias sipped at his glass, watching her over the rim. She was nervous, so Tobias had a good idea what she was about to say. “Michael knows Harrison, and he had already talked to him. Apparently, Harrison vouched for me. Michael wants to hire me.”

“Of course he does,” Tobias chuckled. He drained his wine glass and put it down on the floor next to the couch. “So, what do you want to do?”

“I don’t know. It’s a big job, a lot more money. And it’s back home in Chicago.” Tris gestured helplessly. “But our lives are here.”

“Your parents would love it if Annabelle was closer. Not to mention our friends.” Tobias shrugged. “It’s not like we haven’t talked about trying to go back to the States.”

“You’d leave Manchester just so I could take a job?”

Tobias shrugged again. “You left the States for my job. I don’t see why I shouldn’t do the same.”

Tris bit her lip. “But we’ve been so happy here. And you’re one of ManU’s most popular players.”

“Things have been good here.” He ran his hand down her hair. “But, Tris, I’m not going to be able to play forever. We both know that. I can finish out just as well with the Chicago Fire as I can with Manchester United. Hell, I could be traded at any time, so there’s no guarantee I’d even stay here. I’ve got enough cachet that I’m sure I can get my agent to talk to the Fire. It’s not like we need the money. The only question is, do you want to do it?”

Tris bit her lip. “I don’t know.”

Tobias leaned forward and brushed his lips across hers. “Then think about it. I’m good with whatever you decide.”

“What if you can’t get a spot on the Fire?” She was worried. It occurred to her that it was a reversal of the conversation they’d had years ago, with Tobias worrying about Tris giving up her life in the States just to be with him. There was just so much at stake. Now they had a family to consider.

Tobias grinned wickedly. “Then I can be a kept man. Arm candy for my high-powered wife.”

Tris laughed heartily. “A househusband?”

He shrugged. “It could happen.” They laughed together, knowing good and well that would never happen. Tobias sobered up slightly. “Seriously, Tris, I’ll be fine. I’d love to go home to Chicago if that’s what you want. Just think about it.”

Tris smiled and leaned over to kiss her husband, pushing him backward so he was lounging against the couch. They kissed for long, luxurious minutes before Tris let her hands wander down to his zipper. She caressed him through his jeans and Tobias broke the kiss reluctantly.

He playfully rubbed his nose against hers. “What do you say we take this upstairs so I can welcome you home properly?” he whispered huskily.

Tris grinned. “I’d say 'follow me'.” She rubbed against him for a moment before getting up and holding a hand out to him. He took it, and shut off the lamp with the other. Tobias stopped, squeezing her hand so she’d turn around.

“I’ll follow you anywhere,” he vowed, bringing her hand to his lips. Tris smiled and led him up the stairs.

They entered their darkened bedroom, Tobias closing the door behind them. He reached for the light and Tris said, “No, leave it off.” Moonlight flooded their bedroom, bathing it in a silvery glow. Tris turned to him, putting her hands on his chest. Tobias reached out, pushing her hair behind her ears. His fingers trailed lightly along her jawline, gently lifting her chin. Tris marveled at the fact that after all these years, he could still make her heart race. His lips descended on hers, brushing them together teasingly. Tris smiled against him as his hands tightened on her hips. She unbuttoned his shirt slowly, parting it to allow her hands to slide around his waist.

Their kiss grew more heated as they pressed their bodies together. Tobias loved the feel of Tris’s hands sliding over the muscles of his back. She pushed his shirt off his shoulders as he maneuvered her closer to the bed. She pushed him down on the bed and pulled her long sleeved t-shirt over her head. Tobias leaned back on his elbows, grinning up at her. Tris slowly shimmied out of her jeans, and with her eyes on his, she reached behind her to unhook her bra. She let it fall off her shoulders and drop to the floor. Tobias licked his lips and urged her on. “Keep going,” he said, proud that his voice didn’t crack. She slid out of her underwear and straightened.

“You need to catch up,” she teased, leaning down to unbutton and unzip his jeans. He helpfully lifted his hips as she pulled off his jeans and boxers at the same time. Once he was naked, Tris gave a satisfied nod. “That’s much better,” she said, admiring him with her hands on her hips.

Tobias stood and pulled the covers back with one hand, reaching for her with the other and pulling her into bed with him. They settled into bed, Tobias capturing her mouth in deep, soft kisses that made her head swim. His hands moved over her, caressing gently at first, then growing bolder and firmer as the passion built between them. Tris gasped when he took her nipple in his mouth. She urged him back to her mouth, the pressure just a bit too much on her sensitive skin.

“Don’t make me wait anymore,” she whispered. Tobias ran his hand down her side, lifting her thigh and settling himself between her legs. He pushed forward, sliding into her until he was buried to the hilt. Tris let out a groan of pleasure as he filled her, the sensation stoking her desire. She pulled his head down, kissing him as he began to move inside her.

He moved slowly, his thrusts leisurely. He resisted Tris’s efforts to go faster, wanting to tease her, drench her in pleasure. Ten days might not be a terribly long time, but Tobias had missed her so much. He had gotten used to being the one who needed to leave for a game; it hadn’t occurred to him how much different it would feel to be the one left behind. Every touch, every kiss felt like a homecoming; Tobias never wanted to be away from her again.

Tris arched her back, his slow movements making her writhe with every thrust. She moaned loudly when she felt his soft lips nibbling at her neck; she couldn’t take much more. “Tobias, please.” She stifled her cry when he finally complied, moving faster, thrusting harder. Tris grabbed his shoulders, her fingers digging in painfully. “More,” she gasped out.

So he gave her more. He moved against her fiercely, reaching down to hitch her leg over his arm. Strong thrusts, the brush of his tongue against her neck, and his breath puffing against her face combined to push Tris over the edge. She muffled her cry against his shoulder, her muscles tensed as she tumbled headlong into ecstasy.

The clench of her inner muscles against him was nearly too much for Tobias. He held on, moving erratically against her, hoping to prolong her pleasure. She recovered from her high, and concentrated on Tobias, sucking the skin of his neck into her mouth. She nibbled delicately, intending to mark him as her own, while simultaneously squeezing his muscular ass in rhythm with his thrusting. It was the tipping point for Tobias, who grunted as intense, unrelenting waves of pleasure washed over him, until he finally collapsed against Tris with a sigh.

Tris closed her eyes, a soft smile on her face as she ran her fingers through his hair. She stretched a little beneath him, all her muscles relaxed. He took a deep breath and gathered the energy to slide out and off of her. Tris kissed his back as she reached down and pulled the covers over them. When she settled back down, Tobias, who hadn’t moved from his face down position, threw an arm around her waist and a leg over hers, drawing her to him. He nestled his face into the curve between her neck and shoulder. “Welcome home,” he mumbled.

Tris sighed, “It’s good to be home.” She paused, choosing her next words carefully. “Speaking of being home, I do have a present for you, but it’ll take a little while to get here.” She felt him smile against her shoulder.

“I guess I can be patient. How long is a little while?”

She trailed her fingers along his forearm. “About six and a half more months.” He nodded and Tris grinned, waiting for her words to sink in. When they did, she laughed at how fast he shot up.

“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” he asked, excitement and surprise both evident in his voice.

Tris leaned forward and kissed him lightly. “I’m hoping for a boy this time.”

Tobias wanted to let out a triumphant whoop, but he also didn’t want to wake Annabelle. He dropped back down next to Tris and pulled her into his arms. She rested her ear against his chest, the fast beat confirming his joy and excitement. “Did I surprise you?” she asked.

“Hell, yeah,” he grinned.

She raised up, propping her chin on his chest. “Happy?”

Tobias's expression turned serious. “I told you once that you make me happier than I ever thought I could be.” He brushed her hair back, cupping her face in his hand. “It’s still true. I’ve loved you most of my life. And God knows, I’ll love you for the rest of it.”

Tris hugged him tightly, unable to speak around the lump in her throat. After taking a moment to get herself under control, she said, “Even if you’re a househusband in Chicago?”

He laughed. “Even if.” They snuggled together, warm and happy in their cozy bed. “It doesn’t matter where we are.”

Tris smiled. Tobias was right. Where they were, whether Chicago or Manchester or outer space, didn’t matter. As long as they were together with the family they’d created, that was all they’d ever need.

 

 


End file.
